© Stephen McGurk
© Stephen McGurk
Geoparc de Haute Provence, Digne les Bains
A UNESCO accredited site bordering the French Alps and Provence
This unique natural area was designated as a 'Geoparc', the first of its kind, by UNESCO in 2000 and has since become the model for the development of Geoparks across the world.
A region where the memory of the Earth meets the memory of Mankind, it unites the blue water shores of Lake St. Croix with the snowy peaks of Dormillouse and includes a unique diversity of landscapes where Alpine and Provençal features intertwine.
Geology: The Geopark is enriched by the presence of a "Memory of the Earth", inviting us to take a journey through time, discovering the last 300 million years of the history of our planet. A journey that, far from being limited to the search of our origins, allows us to provide a fresh outlook onto today's landscapes, whose slow transformation is understood through the analysis of remarkable sites: the ammonite slab, ichthyosaurs, fossil bird footprints and more.
Nature: The whole area is characterised by a remarkable ecological richness with an extreme biodiversity.
Cultural heritage: In the same way as the evolution of Earth left behind the the testimonies of its transformations throughout the Geopark, human presence has left behind its cultural footprints too. Each chapter of this story can be read in the territory and practically every town has its historic monument. Whether through religious, civil or military architecture, the ancestral relationship between its inhabitants and the planet can be seen here.
Contemporary art: With the CAIRN Art Centre and the Gassendi Museum, the Geopark has become a privileged and unique place during the last 20 years, where contemporary art converges with the landscape. Today, its territory has a huge collection of over 100 works of art produced in the natural environment by a group of renowned artists, like Andy Goldswerthy and his "refuges d'Art", Richard Nonas, or Herman de Vries. Thanks to these works created through CAIRN initiatives, the UNESCO Geopark is an innovative territory : the visions of these artists invite visitors to continually discover and rediscover landscapes. The CAIRN Art Centre is located in the Musée Promenade.
Discover the map of all the contemporary art sites and amenities present in the Geopark region.
The whole area covers 1,989km², with over 80 different sights and attractions available to see and visit.
