Le patrimoine du Guillestrois

fontaine-lavoir, ancienne forge

More informationVillage of Saint-Crépin

This beautiful pink marble fountain and washing basin is a fine example of local stone. Incorrectly called pink marble, it is in fact a limestone but its grain and beauty make it very sought after for finishes on some finer local architecture. There is a quarry at the entrance of the village.

Hot springs

More informationVillage of Risoul

An ochre concretion is visible to drivers using the RN94 towards Guillestre indicating the presence of the hot springs. A small road to the right takes you to Plan de Phazy, where you can learn about the convoluted history of this hot spring that dreamed of becoming a spa resort ...

Place Salva, before

More informationVillage of Guillestre

Many fountains were also built to honor great men or events. Joseph Salva was one such figure: a tireless construction manager who achieved a great deal to improve the water supply to agricultural land including the construction of the Cristillan floodway in the Ceillac valley among many others.

fontaine lavoir

More informationVillage of Risoul

Risoul is the land of water fountains. If you visit the town on foot you may be able to find all 14 of them, but it could take you all day, as the villages are high up and remote. You will find many beautiful water fountains, water troughs and wash tubs some made of local pink marble, and others in a simple hollowed out tree trunk: a “bourneaux”.

Heart of the village

More informationVillage of Réotier

This is a very pretty pink marble fountain with several troughs that was once a lot more useful than picturesque! Before the arrival of running water supply, which did not come to some mountain hamlets until very late (Fournet in 1965) the fountain was the village drinking water supply, washing place and source of water for dousing fires.

fontaine 2

More informationVillage of Saint-Clément-sur-Durance

This water fountain at the bottom of the village illustrates the importance of the fountain in village life, serving as both drinking water supply, fire fighting water supply and wash-house. St Clement has many beautiful and varied fountains built using different local materials.