Le Chaffaut-Saint-Jurson Provence-Beyond (Beyond the French Riviera) ® Alpes-de-Haute-Provence (04510) Population: 510 Altitude: 585 m Nearby: [ Dignes | Volonne | Champtercier Observatory | Train des Pignes | Route Napoléon ] Below: [ History | Hiking ] The commune of Le Chaffaut-Saint-Jurson includes the village of Le Chaffaut and the tiny hamlets of St. Jurson and Espinouse. St. Jurson is 3 km due east of Le Chaffaut (about 6 km by road), at the edge of the Forêt de St.Juron. Espinouse is 5 km southwest of Le Chaffaut (further and barely accessable by road), on the far side of the hills and forest. Route Napoléon On April 4th, 1814, Napoléon passed very close to St.Jurson on the day's march from Barrême to Digne. Later that afternoon, he came back down the northern side of the Bléon river , passing by Le Chaffaut on his way to the night's stop at the château de Malijai. Train de Pignes The beautiful, narrow-gauge Train de Pignes passes by the village of Mézel (about 5 km across the hills to the southeast) and then turns up between Le Chaffaut and St.Jurson on the final leg of the trip from Nice to Dignes. There's a flag stop 2 km east of Le Chaffaut, next to St.Jurson. Name First record, 1064: Kadafulcho; the names Espinouse and St.Jurson first appeard in the 13th century. History Medieval: Le Chaffaut belonged to the Gambert and Varadier fiefs in the 14th century, and was attatched to the town of Digne in the 15th. Espinouse was created in1664 by a marquis (the ruins of the château are still there). During the 17th and 18th centuries, the commune belonged first to the Tabaret and then the Amaudric domains, and the descendants still carry these names today. Dates Fête communal: first Sunday after 23 April Fête patronale: first Sunday after 24 Aug Hiking Maps: IGN (1:25,000) 3441 ouest "Digne"; Didier Richard (1:50,000) #19 "Haute Provence Verdon". A short loop hike goes out into the forested hills south of Le Chaffaut, passing by the ruins of the Jas de Magallon, and then returning from the southwest along the D12 road. A longer loop hike starts and returns along the D12 to the southwest, with the trail going out into the forest past the ruins of the village of Lagremuse and Le Brendouras (793 m). About 4 km southwest of Le Chaffaut, a trail loops south from the D12 nearly to Espinouses and then circles back to the road. An out-and-back trail will take you from the hamlet of St.Jurson south across the hills to the Asse river by the village of Mézel.