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 raised, it is part of the scales entrained at the base of the Digne nappe.
Its chapel, dedicated to Saint Magdalene, is today an art refuge and reveals all the symbolism of the place. But that’s not all… This rock was once used by farmers to measure the passage of time while working in the fields. In summer, in the morning, the shadow stretches across its slopes, then diminishes. At midday, the sun fully illuminates the rock and signals the start of lunch. In the late afternoon, its last rays illuminate the rock, heralding the end of a long day’s work.
