Alpes de Haute Provence
Digne les Bains
The spa town (pop. 17.700), well known in France for its therapeutic hot springs, enjoys a pleasant setting on the Bléone river surrounded by forested mountains. It's a vibrant town offering for its size a surprising collection of art museums, galleries, jewelry shops, cafés and restaurants. The main street is Blvd. Gassendi, named after Pierre Gassendi, a 17th century Philosopher, Astronomer and Mathematician. You find only a few ancient structures here, such as the 13th century Cathédrale Notre Dame du Bourg and a few remnants of the ramparts, but many elegant late 19th/early 20th century villas and gardens, including a small botanical garden. If you are interested in fossils, visit the Réserve Naturelle Géologique de Haute Provence, a geological exhibition of the 46 communities of the Var and Alpes de Haut Provence, which have joined to preserve the many rock formations and fossils in their areas. Le Jardin des Papillons is a butterfly garden, located just outside the town, visits and guided tours by appointment only. The Musée Gassendi is the local history and arts museum.
The Musée Alexandra David-Néel, shows aspects of the Himalayan culture and the life of Alexandra David-Néel (1868-1969), the first European woman to explore Tibet and the Himalayas. Alexandra studied oriental languages at the Sorbonne, then travelled to Lhasa. She became one of the West's foremost Tibetan scholars. At the age of 59 she moved to Digne but left 10 years later to spend a further 9 years in the Himalayas. She returned to Digne and in 1968, just after her 100th birthday, she planned for a long trip to China. Sadly it was not to be - she died in Digne in 1969. The collection of the Fondation Alexandra David-Néel includes many important pieces from Tibet, Nepal and Sikkim.
The Train des Pignes (Pine Cone Train) is the popular name for the railway connecting Digne les Bains with Nice. The 3 1/2 hour ride across the Maritime Alpes is spectacular. Trains are crowded during the summer time, you need to book well in advance. It is said that in the old times you could collect cones from the pines next to the tracks as the steam powered engine laboured its way up the steep mountains. Nowadays a modern diesel powered engine provides for a faster ride through this beautiful, sparsely populated part of the Provence. You find more information on the website of the Chemins de Fer de Provence, a private company owned by the Veolia Transport Group.
Durance Valley
The river Durance, in French La Durance (except for le Rhône all rivers in France are feminine) runs for 325 km (201 miles) from its spring at the Mont Chenaillet (2.634 m/8.642 ft) near the Italian border in the departement Hautes-Alpes to the Rhône just south of Avignon. Until it was "tamed" in the 20th century the Durance was fierce, unpredictable and a cause of major floods. The water flow at the confluence with the Rhône varies between 40 cubic meter per second to 6 000 cubic meter per second depending on the season and flash floods. A 250 km irrigation canal running parallel to the Durance and numerous hydroelectric dams have changed its behaviour. The dams generate the electricity equivalent of two nuclear reactors, roughly 10% of France's hydroelectric capacity.
From Sisteron to the confluence with the Rhône river the Durance is the lifeline for a major fruit growing area in France. Many orchards use unsightly black netting and there are many migrant workers during harvest times. This is the time when horse flies can make life unpleasant here, quite unusual for the Provence which is mostly free of flies and mosquitoes. There are a number of agricultural villages between Sisteron and Manosque, some pretty, some less so. But the valley is fairly busy with the Autoroute A51 and a major train line. The one noteworthy sight is a rock formation on the left bank near the town of Le Mées, the Les Penitents de les Mées. They stand over 100 meters high and 2 km long behind the town and folklore has it that they are a procession of monks who were petrified by Saint Donat as punishment for falling in love with a beautiful young Saracene women. An impressive sight, especially at night when they are illuminated.
Forcalquier
The town of Forcalquier (pop.4.375) is located on a steep hill, 30 km south of Sisteron and about 10 km west of the Durance river. In the Middle Ages it was the capital of the Haute-Provence. The town's name comes from the Latin "Furnus Calcarius", which means lime kilns. On Place du Bourguet is the massive 12th century Cathédral Notre Dame de l'Assomption with its 17th century bell towers and a 17th century organ (concerts every Sunday during the summer). In front of the cathedral is a 15th century fountain with a plaque commemorating the marriage in 1235 between Eleanore of Provence and Henry III of England. Nearby is a neatly restored Franciscan monastery, the Couvent des Cordeliers, founded in 1236, one of the earliest Franciscan monasteries in France. A visit is worthwhile, especially to the well preserved cloister. A walk through the town's old quarters leads to the citadel and on to the church of Terrasse Notre Dame de Provence with fine views of the town and surrounding countryside. Forcalquier is a lively market town with character and there are many pretty villages nearby.
Around Forcalquier are charming villages: St Maine, Dauphin, Limans, Sigonces and above all Mane, a gem just 3.5 km south of Forcalquier. Nearby is the Prieuré de Salagon, a beautiful 16th century Benedictine priory with a 12th century Romanesque church, which now houses a museum that explores the old ways of life in the Haute Provence. In the priory's garden you find many of the local medicinal herbs used in the old times and still in use today. South of Mane is the Château de Sauvan, which many consider to be one of the most beautiful classical châteaux in the Provence. It is privately owned but offers guided tours. Further south is the Haute Provence observatory built here in the 1930s.
Montagne de Lure
About 30km north of Forcalqier is the Montagne de Lure, only slightly lower than Mont Ventoux and another great area for hiking. Before you drive up to the summit on Route D53, linking St.Étienne les Orgues with Sisteron, make a short detour east to visit Cruis, a lovely village of 580 inhabitants. Église Notre Dame et Saint Martin in the village center, the old postal relay station (now an excellent restaurant), the village square - everything picture perfect. Driving back to St.Étienne les Orgues, take Route D53 to the top of the Montagne de Lure. It rises through oak and conifer forests. About 4km before the summit a stony road leads to Notre Dame de Lure, a small Romanesque chapel at the place where a 12th century monastery of the Chalaisian religious order once stood. The Montagne de Lure is only slightly lower (1.826m/5.990ft) than Mont Ventoux (1.912m/6.272ft), its neighbor to the west. The two mountains are separated by the Plateau de Sault. Hikers will enjoy the Montagne de Lure. It is much easier with its wide, angled slopes. The summit, known as the Signal de Lure, is reached by the GR6, the trail that goes from St.Véran (Hautes Alpes) to Langon (near Bordeaux). In case you don't feel like walking a lot, you can drive within 20 minutes of the summit. You will be rewarded with one of the best panoramas the Provence has to offer. Don't miss the northern slopes of the Montagne de Lure. A steep zigzag road descents into the Jabron Valley with its steep cliffs and conifer forests. This section of the road is normally closed during winter.
