Here, over 300 million years of history are revealed before our very eyes. Explore the Geosites to understand the tumultuous history that has shaped the landscape over time.
© ©UGHP
The Valensole conglomerates
© ©OT_Sisteron
Whale Rock
The Rocher de la Baleine is a stage on the Route du Temps, one of the five discovery routes of the Haute-Provence Geopark. It is the result of a series of geological episodes. Just a few kilometers from the charming village of Saint-Geniez, the Rocher de la Baleine will stimulate your imagination and that of […]
© ©UGHP
The Saint Vincent grotto
The Saint-Vincent cave is a natural cavity some thirty meters deep, located in the commune of Castellard-Mélan in the Monges massif. With its main chamber, stalactites and basins, the Grotte Saint-Vincent opens onto the unknown of the underground world. It was formed by the dissolution of Jurassic limestone by carbon dioxide-laden water seeping into the […]
© ©Eric Olive/AD 04
The chaos of La Piche
This landslide, located on the Hautes Terres road in the Haute-Provence Geopark, is a spectacular display of materials from different geological periods. The “La Piche” chaos is the result of a landslide that began between 1990 and 1994 and spread until 2006, destroying part of the forest tracks. In 2016, there was a trend towards […]
Reynier’s slumps
This geological site is located on the Route des Hautes Terres, one of the discovery routes of the Haute-Provence Geopark, in the heart of the Land of the Memory of the Earth. The Haute-Provence Geopark boasts landscapes and geological curiosities that fascinate geologists, but also delight, astonish and interest a growing number of visitors. Such […]
© ©️AD 04/Martin Champon
The Thoard gypsum quarry
Gypsum, which is used to produce plaster, appears here and there on the hillsides of the Haute-Provence Geopark. The Siron quarry was in operation until 1940. The built heritage of Haute-Provence is inextricably linked to its geology. Gypsum has always been widely used in this region, due to the numerous gypsum outcrops nearby. Formed around […]
© ©️AD 04/Martin Champon
The rock of Sainte-Madeleine
This rock (1,100 m.) is a geological curiosity and a cultural site, with its chapel and Andy Goldsworthy’s Art Refuge. It’s also a stone clock… The Sainte-Madeleine rock represents a synthesis of the rich heritage of the Haute-Provence Geopark. It bears witness to a long and eventful geological history. Originating from the seabed and then […]
© ©UGPH
Les Tourniquets d’Astoin
Between the Col des Sagnes and Bayons, this picturesque route takes you through the stunning scenery of two emblematic valleys of the Haute-Provence Geopark. Tourniquets are the name given to a series of twists and turns in the route départementale n°1 as it crosses the rocky barrier (Jurassic limestone) that closes off the Sasse basin […]
Panorama glacière de Turriers
The village of Turriers stretches out at an altitude of 1040 m, on a mound overlooking a vast glacial basin and offering a breathtaking panorama of Haute-Provence, all the way to the Alps. Surrounded by hills, Turriers offers panoramic views as far as the Champsaur and Ecrins mountains, reminding us that these highlands look towards […]
© ©️AD 04/Martin Champon
Panorama of Lac de l’Escale
This panorama is one of the landscape interpretation sites of the Haute Provence Geopark. It provides a better understanding of the geological formation of this valley of the Middle Durance. Downstream from Château-Arnoux, the river’s almost rectilinear course is guided by the Middle Durance fault, which cuts through the earth’s crust over several kilometers. Formed […]
© PAA
Col du Fanget
The Col du Fanget links the Bès and Blanche valleys. At an altitude of almost 1,500 metres, it offers stunning panoramic views in the heart of a remarkable natural setting. The Seyne basin is dominated to the northeast by the Blanche mountain range, which stretches 19 km from Dormillouse (2505m) to l’Estrop (2961m). This succession […]
© OT BSP
Saut de la Pie waterfall
In the clues of Verdaches, this wild and enchanting site, with its waterfall, plants and geological curiosities, will offer you a moment of freshness and wonder. The unique atmosphere of this place is due to a combination of elements: rocks, light, vegetation… From a geological point of view, there’s a “gap” and a “mismatch” that […]
© ©UGPH
Le pas de l’Echelle
The Pas de l’échelle panorama tells the story of the Earth’s long history. It is one of the emblematic landscapes of the Haute-Provence Geopark, as beautiful as it is instructive and inspiring. The local geological history is marked by a succession of marine periods, the surrection of the Alps and strong erosion. The panorama of […]
© ©UGPH
The dumpling ravine
The Boulette ravine on the slopes of Blayeul is still active, demonstrating that the history of the Earth continues to be written and read in the landscapes of the Haute-Provence Geopark. This ravine, upstream from Barles, is a favorite observation ground for geologists and surprises hikers by its sheer size. In 1973, it had major […]
© ©MadrigalProd
The Barles slate quarries
At the heart of a remarkable natural environment (Natura 2000), the Barles slate quarries bear witness to a special geological situation, unique in the Haute-Provence Geopark territory. From the end of the 19th to the middle of the 20th century, local residents came here to extract “lauzes” to cover their houses. These “lauzes” replaced thatch, […]
© ©Michel.Boutin
The Fontchaude spring
This constant-temperature spring lies between the Clues de Barles and Péouré, at the heart of the Haute-Provence Geopark. The Fontchaude spring owes its name to the fact that it doesn’t freeze in winter. In summer, its water pleasantly refreshes walkers. Its fairly constant temperature is due to a long, deep journey through a karstic (underground) […]
© ©️AD 04/Martin Champon
Bird footprints
When geology becomes poetry… This emblematic site of the Haute-Provence Geopark will allow you to imagine a few shorebirds strolling along the beaches… 20 million years ago! The bird footprint sites in the Bès valley represent the capture in stone of an ephemeral moment. The landscape at the time was that of a shallow marine […]
© AD 04 - Thibault Vergoz
Crête de Géruen
This imposing rocky bar belongs to the Monges massif, the beating heart of the Haute-Provence Geopark. In spring and early summer, its flora is an enchantment. The Géruen mountain is a characteristic limestone bar, like many of its neighboring peaks – including the Rocher des Brigands, named after a bygone era! It overlooks the Duyes […]
© AD 04 - N. d'Ortolli Kaléo
The clue de Sisteron
A geological curiosity, the clue de Sisteron is the patient work of the Durance. It has always been one of the rare crossing points between the Alps and Provence. In Provence, the term “clue” refers to a narrow passage dug by a torrent perpendicular to a mountain range. Sisteron’s clue lies between two limestone formations […]
© Julian Boutron - Unesco Géoparc de Haute-Provence
Beaujeu fold
In this territory of the Haute-Provence Geopark, landforms such as the Beaujeu fold tell a complex and eventful story: that of the Earth. The Beaujeu fold is a remarkable example of the deformations left by different geological eras. Located between Digne-les-Bains and Seyne, this anticlinal fold (shaped like a bridge) illustrates the deformations that affected […]
© Laura
La Grosse Pierre
Perched on a hill in the heart of the Vallée de la Blanche, this impressive block of sandstone was transported by the glacier into the Seyne basin over 20,000 years ago. During the great glacial expansions of the late Quaternary, ice occupied the northern valleys of today’s Haute-Provence Geopark. The Durance glacier descended as far […]
© OT Digne LC
The Esclangon Velodrome
In the heart of the Bès valley and the Haute-Provence Geological Nature Reserve, experience a geological adventure and discover one of the most beautiful viewpoints in the Alpes de Haute-Provence. Fascinating for geologists and hikers alike, the Vélodrome is one of the emblematic landscapes of the Haute-Provence Geopark. Highlighted by differences in vegetation, Cenozoic (Tertiary […]
© OT Digne LC
The Ichtyosaurus of La Mélaie
Discovered in 2000, this fossilized marine reptile is one of the last representatives of the ichthyosaurs. It lived around 107 million years ago, in the Secondary Era, at the time of the dinosaurs. In Prads Haute-Bléone, between Chanolles and Chavailles, the Ichthyosaurus of La Mélaie bears witness to a time when water covered the region’s […]
© Département 04
The Ichthyosaurus of La Robine
The La Robine ichthyosaur was one of the first sites in Europe where a skeleton was preserved and protected in situ. It can be discovered after a pleasant hike accessible to all. The La Robine Ichthyosaur is around 185 million years old and is of great scientific and educational interest. Its name comes from the […]
The ammonite slab
At the heart of the Haute-Provence Geopark, the ammonite slab was named one of the 100 most beautiful international geological heritage sites in 2022. Covering 350 m², 1,550 fossilized ammonite shells, the largest measuring 70 cm in diameter, never cease to amaze. This extraordinary site leaves visitors speechless. To understand the emergence of this seabed, […]
© OT
The Pénitents des Mées
Standing like stone sentinels above the Durance, the Pénitents des Mées are a geological curiosity in the Haute-Provence Geopark, as unexpected as they are spectacular. Erosion has carved out a hundred-meter-high alignment of pillars and blades in Valensole pudding (-1.65 to -8 MA), a conglomerate of pebbles set in natural cement. The site owes its […]
© Mika Roux
Les Clues de Barles
By car along the incredible D900, by bike, on foot or even on horseback, discover extraordinary landscapes and incredible geological sites for a journey… out of time! The “clues de Barles” are actually two in number – Saint-Clément and le Péroué – to which we can add the clue de Verdaches, a little further on. […]
A unique geology
Discover other
Geopark sites
A land of cultures
Discover the hilltop villages and their typical local architecture. Narrow streets, lavender fields, olive groves, agriculture and traditional crafts are all interwoven with a rich local heritage and culture.
Art in the mountains
Art and nature mingle in the heart of the Geopark territory. From herman de vries to Andy Goldsworthy, they have all drawn inspiration from the area. Their peregrinations, as well as their encounters with the local inhabitants, are at the origin of a collection of works scattered throughout the territory.
Exceptional landscapes
Discover breathtaking panoramas! Between cultivated plains and towering mountains, dark valleys and dazzling cliffs, let yourself be transported by the richness of the landscapes of the Haute-Provence Geopark.
Discovery routes
Five discovery routes wind their way through the Geopark's emblematic heritage sites and sumptuous landscapes. Each route reveals geological and cultural treasures, inviting you to explore the region in an enriching and immersive way.
Remarkable biodiversity
In the heart of its remarkable landscapes, the Haute-Provence Geopark is home to an exceptional biodiversity that reveals itself discreetly, offering precious moments of escape in a preserved natural environment.
