Throughout the centuries, from generation to generations, the men of Haute-Provence established an incredible heritage on this harsh land, sometimes strong, often fragile : fortresses, abbeys, dry-stone sheepfolds and fountains… Discovering it is understanding it in a better way. In addition to visits, our various museums won't leave you indifferent.
Open since 2001, this museum – built by Norman Foster – tells the story of man in Provence for one million years. It is one of Europe’s largest prehistory museums. Apart from the dioramas which help us to understand how life was like for prehistoric men who lived in the Verdon 400.000 years ago, we also see reconstitutions of fantastic animals : Mammoths, wooly rhinos, saber-toothed tigers.
It welcomes temporary expositions (Australian aborigenes, Darwin…) on a regular basis, and of course takes part to the European Days on Prehistory always bringing in thousands of people, professionals and passionate people in Quinson and its surroundings, in its lake and its famous grotto of the Baume Bonne, opened for this special occasion.
Website : www.museeprehistoire.com
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Set-up in an ancient ‘’mexican villa’’, the Valley museum main focus is on the migration of Barcelonnette inhabitants to Mexico. These various collections deals with archeology, history, ethnology, but also arts. 5 museums – in Pontis, Jausiers, le Lauzet, Saint-Ours and Saint-Paul sur Ubaye – allow a better understanding of how was life in the valley back in the 19th century.
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This recently renovated museum contains, thanks to an original museography, contemporary art works (Andy Goldsworthy, Herman de Vries, Joan Fontcuberta…), classic paintings, scientific tools and natural history specimens. A true Encyclopaedic Museum, essential to the knowledge of the Alpes de Haute-Provence.
Website : www.musee-gassendi.org
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The Informal Art Centre of Researches on Nature, born in 1995, is a project monitored by the Gassendi museum and the Réserve Géologique de Haute-Provence. It presents contemporary artists works both in the museum and on the territory of the Réserve Géologique.
The idea of the Centre is to invite artists in residency, so they can produce original work related to nature.
Website : www.musee-gassendi.org
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Main site of the Réserve Géologique, this unique place proposes through its collections a global approach of Earth science and Geological evolution in Haute-Provence. It’s also the occasion to discover the surrounding park where modern art works are exposed, as well as the magnificent butterfly garden.
Website : www.resgeo04.org
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This museum cleverly mixes legends and scientific culture with a ludic presentation by telling the story of sirenians, ancient marine mammals which fossils were found in the region.
In the ancient Visitandines chapel, it proposes to the visitors an incredible trip through time by showing how time acts on man and earth. Uncommon objects are found there: Foucault pendulum, clepsydras and meteors…
Throughout a collection of rocks, you’ll discover how men used the underground through the centuries.
And to manage this, you’ll have to pass through the impressive Clues de Barles which almost justify a trip to Haute-Provence on their own.
Samten Dzong, the house of the famous explorer, first woman to ever enter in the forbidden Tibet in the beginning of the 20th century, this house became a museum. It remained unchanged, but new rooms have been added to allow a better understanding of her journey and to become comfortable with Tibetan art.
The Alexandra David-Neel Foundation organises every year by the end of the summer the Tibetan Days in Digne-les-Bains, which hosted once the Dalaï-Lama himself. A Tibetan art and craft shop is also found in the Foundation.
Website : www.alexandra-david-neel.org
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It shows splendid specimens of animal and vegetal fossiles – particularly a 30.000.000 years-oldbachitherium – as well as prehistoric tools, medieval and gallo-roman sculptures.
Contact : 00334-92-75-66-15
The conservatory, close to the ancient medieval Priory of Salagon, organises rural life-related showings and particularly about the links between human activities and their environment.
The surrounding gardens were created in 1986 and cover 6 themes : medieval garden, simple garden, garden of smells, garden of the noria, white oak garden, modern times garden.
Almost 2500 vegetal species are represented.
Website : www.musee-de-salagon.com
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Created by Olivier BAUSSAN, creator of l’Occitane, the Olive-tree ecomuseum, the gift of the Mediterranean Sea is a dream come true: create a place where all the cultures of olive-tree are reunited. The collections of the ecomuseum testify of the history of men and olive-trees and their ancient gestures. They tell you the secrets of all the welfare treasures this tree brought to mankind: food, light, body care, fragrances, wood… all these precious gifts given to man by olive-trees. The temporary showing space enhances the concept of a ‘’bridge built between the shores of the Mediterranean Sea’’, an important concept for Olivier BAUSSAN. Olive-tree artists and craftsmen are welcome and their work is emphasised in the summer season. It take a long while to visit the whole place, as much as you want, but don’t forget to stop by the ‘’Première Pression Provence’’ shop and its unavoidable tasting workshop of the 3 ‘’fruités’’ of olive-oil, a combination of the work of olive-growers andmillers of Provence.
Website : www.ecomusee-olivier.com
A stay in a Gîte de France, here's a gift idea which is quite uncommon and that will certainly make the beneficiary more than happy !
We've gathered for you all the housings labelled Gîtes de France for less than 3 months. A good occasion to discover some new adresses of the Gîtes de France in the Alpes de Haute-Provence, whatever the type of accomodation your looking for : gîte, bed and breakfast, group gîte, city break ...
Marcel et Marie GRANGE
For a friendly welcoming in this beautiful city.
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