Ubaye Valley
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Ubaye Valley is an area in the Alpes de Haute-Provence département, in the French Alps and has approximately 7,700 residents[1]. Its residents are called Ubayens. Its chief town is the sous-préfecture of Barcelonnette.
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[edit] Geography
[edit] Ubaye River - Hydrography
- The Ubaye River gives its name to the valley. The Ubaye rises on the Franco-Italian border, in Longet Lake, in the massive of Monte Viso. It runs from east to west during 70 km (43 mi), after it flows in the Serre-Ponçon Lake. Its main tributary is the Ubayette River, which rise in the Lauzanier Lake.
- Ubaye Valley has many lakes :
- Terre-Plaine lake
- Neuf-Couleur Lake
- Sagnes Lake
- Lauzanier lake
- Allos lake
- Petite Cayolle lake
- Mans lakes
- Longet lake
- Oronaye lake, near Longet lake
- Marinet Lake
[edit] Organization
[edit] Situation
[edit] Summits
Ubaye Valley's highest mountain is the Aiguille de Chambeyron (3,412 m (11,194 ft). The second one is the Brec de Chambeyron (3,389 m (11,119 ft).
[edit] Towns
- Its two largest towns are Barcelonnette and Jausiers. From Low Valley to High Valley, near Ubaye the towns are: Le Lauzet-Ubaye, Les Thuiles (Lauzet's hamlet), Méolans-Revel, Barcelonnette, Faucon-de-Barcelonnette, Jausiers, La Condamine-Châtelard, Saint-Paul-sur-Ubaye and Tournoux.
- There are several ski stations: Le Sauze, Pra Loup (near Barcelonnette) and Sainte Anne (near La Condamine-Châtelard.
- Two small towns in the Ubayette valley: Meyronnes and Larche.
[edit] Access
There are only six passable vehicle roads during the summer:
- From the Haute-Provence (West) : "Pas-la-Tour" near The Lauzet, open year-round
- From the Verdon (South) : Pass of Cayolle and pass of Allos (closed in winter),
- From the Tinée (South) : Pass of the Bonette at 2,750 meters, the higher road of Alps (closed in winter)
- From Stura Valley (Italy), (East): Pass of Larche (closed in winter),
- From the Queyras (North) : Pass of Vars (closed in winter).
[edit] History
- The Ubaye valley has been populated since the end of Prehistory
- A Gaulish tribe, named the Esubiens, lived in the valley during Antiquity
- It was incorporated into the Roman Empire by Augustus. A Roman road crossed the valley and the Romans occupied the Faucon-de-Barcelonnette's area.
- Christianized since the end of Roman Empire, Ubaye Valley belonged to the diocese of Embrun
- The valley was in the county of Provence during the Middle Ages.
- Barcelonnette was founded in 1231 by Ramon Berenguer IV, Count of Provence
- François Ier crossed the pass of Larche to attack Italy in the 16th century.
- After, the valley belongs to the Duchy of Savoy, and it was incorporated into France in 1713 with the Treaty of Utrecht.
- The French Army of the Alps was based in Ubaye during the French Revolution.
- In the 1830s, the first reak road to the valley is open.
- During the 19th century and the start of the 20th, a lot of Ubaye's people emigrated to Mexico.
- Ubaye Valley was occupied by Italians in 1942, then by Germans in 1943 and 1944
[edit] Administration
The valley is in the arrondissement of Barcelonnette, and has two cantons.
[edit] Demographics
[edit] Natural sites
- Lakes
- Massive Mountains: L'Aiguille du Chambeyron, the Séolanes, Siguret, "la Tête de Louis XVI".
- The Mercantour
[edit] Monuments
- Cardinalis Tower (Barcelonnette)
- Museum of Ubaye Valley (Barcelonnette)
- "Les Villas Mexicaines" (Barcelonnette and Jausiers)
- Church of Faucon-de-Barcelonnette.
- Church Saint Nicolas de Myre (Jausiers)
- Magnans's Castle (Jausiers)
- Abriès Mill (Jausiers)
- Cuguret stronghold. (Jausiers)
- Fort de Tournoux (La Condamine-Châtelard)
[edit] Characters
- Paul Reynaud, born in Barcelonnette
- The Brothers Arnaud, born in Jausiers
- Jacques-Antoine Manuel, born in Barcelonnette
[edit] See also
[edit] Notes
- ^ Ubaye - Vallée de l'Ubaye - Ubaye, Barcelonnette, la Condamine-Châtelard, Enchastrayes, le Sauze, Faucon, Jausiers, Larche, Lauzet Ubaye, Méolans Revel, Laverq, Meyronnes, Saint Ours, Pontis, Saint Paul sur Ubaye, Serennes, Maurin, Maljasset, Saint Pons, les Thuiles, Uvernet Fours, Bayasse, Pra Loup, la Bréole, Saint-Vincent-les-Forts, Chambeyron, Séolane, Parpaillon
