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The Region - Culture - Historical Buildings

There are numerous examples of historical buildings and structures in Champsaur and Valgaudemar. Châteaux (some are private dwellings but others are open to the public), churches and chapels, roadside shrines, mills, fountains, communal bread ovens,…. and plenty of other examples depicting the religious and rural life of the land.
Here are some examples:

The Castle of St Firmin (14th century)
An impressive fortified castle, now in ruins.
For several years, ‘Les Amis du château fort’ (friends of the castle) have been working to promote the site. Every summer they organise different events including rock festivals and firework displays.

The Château de Lesdiguières (16th century)
This château was one of François de Bonne’s residences. He was the duke and ‘Connétable’ (the Connétable was the highest ranking officer of the crown, ranking in precedence after the peers) of Lesdiguières and the last Connétable of France. He was also the leader of the Dauphiné protestants and a faithful friend of the future Henry IV. The romantic and somewhat mystical ambience of these ruins make them well worth a visit!

The Château d’Aspres (13th century)
Dominating the Drac valley, the Aspres château is a real invitation to step back in time. Inside is a magnificent ceiling, typical of the French architecture of the time, a grand black marble staircase and beautiful four poster beds! Today, the château is a hotel restaurant.

The Château des Herbeys
This building underwent significant renovations in the 19th century and was one of several stately homes built throughout the Champsaur valley.
It was the old residence of Lord Louis-François de Herbeys, who created the ‘Herbeys’ canal to irrigate the plateau d’Aubessagne.

Chapelle des Petètes (18th century)
Situated in the little hamlet of L’Aubérie, between Benevant and Infournas, is this curious little gem of alpine history! Built by a local inhabitant, it is famous for its unusual ornate façade decorated with little statues and figurines. It’s a rare example of the popular art of its time and is classified as a historical monument.

Mills
The old mills which can be found in every village, played an essential role in village life. They allowed the transformation of cereals into flour and nuts into oil. Usually situated next to streams or rivers, they were designed with a horizontal wheel to take advantage of the force of water.

There are at least 23 examples in the Valgaudemar valley and the mill in Villar-Loubière is still in good working order – a testimony to their importance in traditional life in the mountains.

The Village of Prapic
Nestled at the bottom of the Drac Noir Valley and at the doorway of the Ecrins National Park, the picturesque village of Prapic is pretty remote, but, is nevertheless one of the most famous villages in the Hautes Alpes. Not only because of the undeniable charm of its 19th century architecture, but also because it is the starting point of many beautiful walks; the waterfall of Saut du Laire, the Tombeau du Poète, the Lac des Pisses,….

The medieval town of St Bonnet
St Bonnet was the hometown of Françoise de Bonne, duke of Lesdiguières and the last Connétable of France, but it’s history dates even further back and remnants of its past are still there today….: the house where the duke of Lesdiguières was born, ‘la place Grenette’ with its covered marketplace, ‘la place aux Herbes’ with its ancient stone arcade and the medieval architecture still evident in the streets of ‘Saint-Jacques’ the tower, the hospital and the Château de Daillon (fortified in the 17th century) with it’s old walnut wood doors.

Place Grenette
Standing in this square feels like going back in time to the middle ages! It was the central market place for cereals and grains, hence its name (‘Grenette’ means grain). The current wooden structure was actually built in 1843 and is quite unusual; there are four wooden beams supporting the roof with a pulley for weighing sacks of grain fixed to each one. In the centre is a square stone which would have helped the men hoist the heavy grain sacks onto their backs and a 16th century well, which would have been the only source of drinking water in the village. The building currently adjoining this structure is now the tourist office. It used to be the pastor’s house.