The commune owes its name with the money mines which were worked as of the time |Roman on her territory. Near to the entry of the valley of Vallouise, with the door of the national park of the Jewel cases, and dominated by tops limestones, of which that of Montbrison (2800 m). In the west, the small valley of Fournel is a famous site of climbing on cascades of ice.
The parish dates from XIIe century and was probably founded by Oulx. Documents of 1208, 1266 and 1276 mention the existence of the Saint-Apollinaire church.
It in the past formed part of the stronghold of the Oar and the very old castle which one still sees the vestiges, in a particularly strong situation, above it village, must be built by this princely family. She became the chief town of mandement when the town of Oar was ruined by the risings of the Durance, its mandement was divided into two, that of Spatule and that of Argentière.
In 1155, the Dolphin was made concede by the Emperor Frederic Ier Barberousse of the Saint Worsens Roman Germanic, the mines of the throats of Fournel and seized Argentière, attaching this borough to Briançonnais. This concession was renewed in 1238. The castrum of Argentière is mentioned since 1202, date on which it is entrusted to the dolphin Guigues André by the count de Forcalquier, Guillaume II, in pledge of the marriage of the dolphin and grand-daughter of the count. The dolphin is major lord of the castrum and perceives in particular part of the incomes of the siver-bearing copper mine. A lord of the manor, Auruce, originating in this area, representative of the dolphin, resides at Argentière since 1246. Those made build in the plain another castle and a vault, around whose the houses of the primitive borough grouped. Sixteen hamlets made this borough, old residence of lords where various constructions followed one another: keep rising close to the mines, transformed as of the Middle Ages into strong castle; castle seigneurial, in the valley, and finally the Midsummer's Day castle.
The order of Midsummer's Day of Jerusalem had a small commandery named in pouillés of 1208: “preceptori Sancti Johannis de Gradibus Karuli. ” There remains the vault of Midsummer's Day, one of the most beautiful buildings of the Romanesque architecture in the area. (See further.)
In 1315 the abbey of Boscodon held a hospital here.
In XIIIe and XIVe centuries, the principal village was in the large enclosure located in Ville. Many a casales (rural exploitations) was located at the foot of the castle, i.e. below the rock. Other houses were also established outside the enclosure, close to the doors.
In XIVe century, the Auruce family sold her seigneuriaux rights to the other notable ones and at this point in time was built the third castle of Argentière (XVe century) near the vault of Midsummer's Day.
At the time modern, this one extended on the side of the bridge of the Durance
The Midsummer's Day vault [to modify]
Classified historic building on July 22, 1886.
The order of Midsummer's Day of Jerusalem had in Argentière-la-Bessée a small commandery named in pouillés of 1208: “preceptori Sancti Johannis de Gradibus Karuli”. The use of the term “gradibus” would rest on the fact that to the east of the building, located on a headland, some steps went down in direction from the Durance, to which the bed with the Middle Ages was very close. At the XIXe century of the local historians evoke the discovery of surrounding constructions, with apparatus in fish-bones. Were they the ruins of the hospital house? The architectural provisions of Midsummer's Day testify to the attachment to the forms of the tradition lombarde.
Hung with the banks of the torrent of Fournel, the owners of the XIXe century built a true mining village. The archaeological excavations, initiated in 1991, updated its vestiges; one thus recognizes the site of the forging mills, the store, the house of the Director, the large workshop.
This last contains vestiges of the machineries: crushers, jigging screens, tables of washing.
The excellent conservation in the floor of the buildings of these infrastructures, allows a good interpretation of the techniques of mechanical treatment of the ore of the end of the XIXe century.
The guides will make you rediscover this intense industrial activity in a preserved and wild place.
Opening :Money mines & Museum of the Mines
- All the year, visits for the groups made up, on reservation (subject to the conditions of accesses to the site for the mines)
- School Holidays (except summer).
Wednesdays, Thursdays and Sundays of 14h with 17h.
- On June 1 at September 15, the every day of 9h with 18h.
- Days of the inheritance, Sunday of 13h30 with 17h30
Obligatory reservation and information to the 04 92 23 02 94
House of Reception and Information of the Community of Communes
Street of the Republic
Such: 04-92-23-03-11
To see:
Church Saint-Apollinaire (15th century). Vault Saint-Jean-Baptist (12th century),
Storeroom of the house Board (19th century), The Sluice-Rostan, old door of Briançonnais (14th century). Museum of the money mines, castle St Jean. Mining village of Suquet.
Money mines of the valley of Fournel (20km of galleries)
Leisures:
Canoe Kayak (in the Durance). Water stage running. Canyoning. Covered swimming pool. Via ferrata Gymnasium. Climbing (via ferrata). Cascade of artificial ice.
Excursions (passage of the GR. 541) to discover the prestigious reserve of blue thistles,
species rare and protected in this single site in Europe
