The Belon farm, an important site in the French Resistance, is one of seven Refuges designed and created by internationally renowned artist Andy Goldsworthy.
Refuge d’Art is a single work of art designed by British artist Andy Goldsworthy in partnership with the Gassendi Museum and the Haute-Provence Geopark. This route, the only one of its kind in Europe, crosses 150 km of the Geopark’s exceptional landscapes, combining contemporary art, hiking and heritage in a unique way. In each of these once-abandoned and now restored sites (chapels, farmhouses, jas…), the artist has created a specific work, which is now part of the built environment.
The hamlet of Belon was home to a Resistance cadre school. During an attack in February 1944, the Germans killed or deported the young maquisards and set fire to the hamlet. The 13 stone arches of this work are a tribute to them.
The artist: “The first floor has few windows and a low ceiling. It’s the ideal atmosphere for building white stone arches: they’ll appear like architectural ghosts…”.
