Digne-les-BainsProvence-Beyond (Beyond the French Riviera) ®
Alpes-de-Haute-Provence (04000)
Population: 16087
Altitude: 608 m
Michelin map: #245 "France Provence-Cote d'Azur"
Nearby:
[ Barrème 30 km | Castellane 53 (1 hr) | Le Chaffaut-Saint Jurson 11 | Champtercier 10 | Embrun 91 (1h50) | Nice 163 (2h30) | Seyne-les-Alpes 41 | Sisteron 39 | Thoard 22 | Volonne 28 | Champtercier Observatory 10 ]
Photos:
1 Bigger view of the clock tower and Campanile (27 k)
2 A quite corner of the train station for the Train des Pignes (29 k)
3 The Clue de Chabrières, 17 km south of Digne (31 k)
Below: [ Geology | Baths | Lavender | Museums | History | Dates | O.T. | Dining | Transportation | Sports | Hiking | Lodging ]
Digne-les-Bains, the préfecture of the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, is a town with a medieval heart and an even older history. In the early 19th century Digne was a luncheon stop for Napoléon. Today it's a popular tourist stop for French and foreign visitors, with only one of its attractions being the thermal baths that justify the -les-Bains part of its name.
Although Digne is a major town, with residential areas and shopping centers (mainly on the northern outskirts and the N85 towards Sisteron), it has a compact center and a beautiful setting, sitting beside the fast-flowing Bléone river and with forested mountains all around. The long main street through town is completely shaded by the overhanging branches of the plane trees.
Shopping
There's good shopping in central Digne, along the tree-lined Boulevard Gassendi and the pedestrian streets just beside.
A large shopping center (centre commercialle - the equivalent of a mall) is located a 5-minutes drive out of town, on the N85 road towards Sisteron/Champtercier.
Geology
Digne has a unique geological position because of the transition between the Alps and the plains of Provence.The Réserve Géologique des Alpes-de-Haute-Provence is a huge area protected for its geological interest. The controlling Centre de Géologie has laboratories, libraries and expositions in Digne. The Centre is located just north of central Digne, across the river and then left up the hillside. There's a 15-minute walk from the parking lot, but you'll have a great view of the town from there.
Baths
The hot springs of Digne-les-Bains have been used since Antiquity, but not continuously, the baths losing their popularity after the Romans departed. The modern baths, rebuilt by the municipality and opened in 1982, are still on the aptly-named Eaux-Chaudes river 3 km southeast of the town. There are actually 8 hot springs (and one cold), flowing from the St Pancarace cliffs. The water, starting at 42°C (107°F), contain sulfur, calcic (lime and calcium), strong minerals and are lightly radioactive. The baths are supposed to be good for respiratory problems and rheumatism.
Lavender
Digne is the center of one of the principle lavender regions of Provence, the Pays de Digne. [ map of lavender regions ]
Museums
- Musée Municipal
- The Municipal Museum is located in an ancient hospice and was created in 1885 or 1889. It presents archeology, natural and regional history, scientific objects and paintings.
- 64 bd Gassendi
- Tel: (33) 492 31 45 29; Fax: (33) 492 32 38 64
- Musée d'Art Religieux
- Chapelle des Pénitents, Place des Récollets
- Tel: (33) 492 31 34 61
- Musée de la Guerre 1939-1945
- Place Paradis
- Tel: (33) 492 31 28 95
- Musée de Géologie
- Tel: (33) 4; Fax: (33) 4
History
Name
First record, First record, 1st-century: Dinia; 780 Digna
Gallo-Roman:
Situated where the Bléone river, joined by the smaller Mardaric and Eaux-Chaudes, cuts through steep mountain ridges, this was a strategic site between Provence and the Alps and occupied throughout Antiquity. Pliny the Younger (62-114) wrote that Dinia was the capital of the Bodiontici or Brodiontii, a people conquered by Augustus in 14 BC.
Medieval:
During barbarian invasions in the 6th century, fortifications were built in a protected little valley to the northeast (Notre-Dame du Bourg) and on hilltops overlooking the current town. The fortifications have pretty-much disappeared, with just a few ramparts remaining.
The lower town (cité) and the Bourg were ruled separately until the 15th century; the cité by the Counts of Provence and the Bishops of Digne; the Bourg by the provost of the church of Digne.
Digne suffered severely from the Wars of Religion, with invasions, massacres and destruction occurring four successive times between 1562 and 1595. Of the population that survived and recovered from the religious wars, 85% died from the plague of 1629.
In 1851 the peasants revolted against Napoleon III (Louis Napoléon Bonaparte) who occupied Digne as the seat of his provisional government; he became emperor the following year.
Dates
Market day Sat and Wed; larger on Sat, especially the 1st Sat of the month (includes a foire)
Every June - Fête de la Musique
Every July - Theater Festival- théâtre des villes, théâtre des champs; Night of Jazz
1st Weekend Aug - Corso de la Lavande - great celebrations!
Every Aug - Journées Lavande
Every Aug - 15th: Large foire-market, on the Place du Tampinet near the round-about by the river
- CDT
- Tel: 04 92 36 62 62; Fax: 04 92 32 27 24
Dining
Lunch in Digne-les-Bains, at the Brassiere-Restaurant Le France.
- Filets de Rougets au Coulis de Langoustines - 70 F (a Mediterranean red fish, on a bed of rice and mushroom with lobster sauce)
- Poêlée de Noix de Saint Jacques au Caviar d'Aubergine, 75 F (scallops on a thick bed of chopped egg-plant)Also have:
- Buffet de Hors d'Oeuvres, 55 F
- Gourmet menusFood is great. Service is very slow.
Transportation
The Train des Pignes is one wonderful way to get to Digne-les-Bains [Train des Pignes map].
Sports
Digne-les-Bains is an active sports center, with 2 swimming pools and 3 stadiums, and offering canoeing-kayaking, horseback riding, tennis and alpinism as well as good hiking.
- Hiking
- Maps:
- Didier Richard (1/50,000) #19 "Haute Provence Verdon";
- IGN (1/25,000) #3440 ET "Digne-les-Bains"
