Shallow gabion foundations enabled the installation of a solar plant on an archaeological site with minimal ground disturbance. The approach ensures structural stability while preserving sensitive subsurface heritage through a fully reversible foundation system.
Spanish EPC contractor Ijes Solar is constructing a solar park in area with archeological interest for Total Energies in France.
The Les Brandes solar park is located in the municipalities of Ménesplet and Montpon-Ménestérol in France’s Dordogne department. The 8.9 MW ground-mounted solar plant occupies 9 hectares.
The project received its building permit in 2023, construction began in September 2025, and commissioning is scheduled for summer 2026.
A key feature of the project is its location on a site containing archaeological remains, identified during a survey carried out by France’s National Institute for Preventive Archaeological Research (INRAP) in September 2024. The discovery required the developer to adopt construction methods designed to preserve the site’s archaeological layers.
