Argentière-la-Bessée

Argentière-la-Bessée is a common French, located in the department of the Hautes-Alpes and the area Provence-Alp-Coast of Azure.

Heraldic

The common of Argentière, to which is plain old the Paroisse of Bessée, on other bank of the Durance, took again the weapons of the Auruce.

and the current logo
Of azure to trout of money, lorée and mitraillée of mouths, posed out of bar, with the bastille chief also of money.

Geography

Chief town of the canton of Argentiérois, recovering the Country of the Jewel cases, located at the confluences of the Gyronde, valley of Vallouise, and the torrent of Fournel with the Durance, with approximately 1000 m of altitude. Geology and here

History

The commune is resulting from fusion in 1791 of the old communes of Argentière, on Right Bank of the Durance, and Bessée, on left bank, the road of Briançon.

The village of Bessée

The village of Bessée is known since the 12th century, it was set up in parish on February 15th, 1843.

It is in this village that were the administrative services, the Juge, the notary S, the Relais of station and of Diligence.

Five Chanoine S of the congregation of Oulx served there a Prieuré under the term of Saint-Michel; it would seem that the adjacent house with the Sacristie of the current church was the priory of the canons of Oulx. The Chapelle Saint-Michel which dated from the Middle Ages was destroyed at the 19th century to allow the construction of a larger church. In the historical register written by the Lagier priest of Argentière, this last fact allusion to the existence of a Monastère of religious S installed with Bessée High at there even time that canons of Oulx, i.e. as of the 12th century. But the Lagier father does not specify which congregation it acted; the presence of a Couvent with Bessée can lead us to put forth an assumption on the etymology of this name. Until the beginning of the 20th century indeed, the name of this village was written Abessée or the Abbess; one finds this writing in certain authenticated titles, as in the Napoleonean land register. This name could thus come from the presence of an abbey of women directed by a Mother Superior, an abbess.

Others have advanced the assumption that the name of Bessée came from the presence of many Bouleau X called bessede or bessedo; there exists indeed in the area several places planted of birches called Besses, but in this precise case the term is always in the plural, moreover one counts little birches near the hamlet.

On the limits of the village and Saint-Martin-with-Queyrières, existed the Sluice-Rostan, wall of rocks in a fault of which the old road passed. During most of the Middle Ages, it been used as limit enters Briançonnais and Embrunais. Sluice-Rostan

The commune of Argentière

The commune owes its name with the mine S of money which were exploited as of the Roman time on its territory. Near to the entry of the valley of the Vallouise, with the door of the National park of the Jewel cases, and dominated by tops Calcareous S, 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 the 12th century and was probably founded by Oulx. Documents of 1208,1266 and 1276 mention the existence of the Saint-Apollinaire church.

It formed in the past part of the Fief Oar and the very old Château 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 the 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 Dauphin was made concede by the Emperor Frederic Ier Barberousse of the Saint Germanic Roman Empire, 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 he is entrusted to the dolphin Guigues André by the count of 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 composed this borough, old residence of lords where various constructions are succédé: Keep rising close to the mines, transformed as of the 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.

With 13th and 14th 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.

At the 14th 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 (15th century) near the vault of Midsummer's Day.

At the time modern, this one extended on the side of the bridge of the Durance.

Administration

Demography

Places and monuments

Money Mines

the origin of the name of the locality comes from the presence of siver-bearing black leads. As of the year thousand are attested important sites of extraction of the siver-bearing lead ore in the valley of Fournel. Their fitting surprises for the time: galleries of circulation, ventilation and flow. Prosperous until in the years 1870, it most important and is best organized department, employing to 500 workmen. It declines then, and an ultimate revival took place of 1901 to 1908. She is recognized with the national plan for the quality of her ore and her performances (introduction of new techniques).

Since 1991, of the archaeological excavations puts at the day of old machines and allows a good approach of the vestiges of the industrial revolution. The site, remarkable by its physical framework and its animated history, is in the course of valorization. Visits are organized, they are an increasing success.

Money mines and money mines of Fournel in detail

The Tower of the Clock

Built in the axis of the entry of the iron-foundries, the Tower of the Clock of Hermes is a testimony of the flourishing industry of the beginning of the 20th century.

The Saint-Apollinaire church

Set up on Right Bank of the Durance at the end of the 15th century, it is made up of a single nave, overcome of a bell-tower with pyramidal arrow.

the principal gate opens on the southern face. The lintel, decorated Gothic interlacings, and the casements are 16th century.

the murals of the southern wall external of the apse go back to 1516. They appear the topic of the virtues, the defects and their punishments.

the church in image

The Midsummer's Day vault

Classified historic building on July 22nd, 1886.

the order of Midsummer's Day of Jerusalem had in Argentière-la-Bessée small a Commanderie called 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 19th 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.

Midsummer's Day is composed of a single nave of three spans, arched of a cradle in semicircular arch. A semicircular apse of 2m 70 of depth, arched in bottom of furnace prolongs the building in the east. The width except work is of 5m 80 for 13m 40 length and the thickness of the walls varies between 0m95 and 1m. Each span receives the light by narrow high windows in the form of loopholes, strongly splayed: one in the west, two in the south, three in north, three still in the apse. There exist two accesses to the south, of which most important was arranged later and is located in the axis of bay opposed to north. On the lintel that diagrids support, take seat a pattée cross and stylized reasons. These profiles are current in the area with 15th and 16th century. The bell-tower is of square section with bays geminated on the second and third floors; it caps the Eastern end of the nave. The apse is flattened compared to the body of the vault and this so typical antiquated pace gives him.

the vault at the origin in fair tuff, which is in the area a traditional material, underwent the misdeeds of pollution: here and there the apparatus seems to be about it definitively marked. The frontages septentrional and Western are not of great interest.

On the southernmost frontage, under the loopholes, five let us modillons in tuff make covered (there was to be a sixth), they were used as supports with a hood out of wooden. In the south still, the more recent bays are installed more sober hardcores and are surmounted by elegant a small Roman arch. The bedside more held the attention of the builders. Although modest, on a way of passage, it was quite visible by the pilgrim of the Middle Ages. Decoration was looked after there, in the openings of “misleads the eye”, where withdrawals in the apparatus mix, follow one another with empty spaces, Roman arches. The proportions of the square bell-tower speak the language about a discrete architecture, but which wants to be pointed out! Thus all the bays are geminated, i.e. double, except in the east where they are triple.

Inside, the vaults which separate the three spans were remade, just like the Roman arches and the arc with double roller of the apse. The three bays of the apse in spite of an air of austerity in their invoice, invite to a stripped meditation. Above them, a fine cord delimits space between bays and the birth of the vault in bottom of furnace. With the repercussion of the Roman arches which delimit the spans, a flush stone stringcourse wife the wall. In this country of mountain, even the rock levels in the holy place! Unfortunately Midsummer's Day resplendit not by its lower decoration. The imbedded columns stop about with middle height of the wall on bottoms of lamp finished by a scotie and a roll, and finally in the shape of reversed trapezoid. Only, three capitals out of the eights are equipped with a astragale, but the baskets are more recent, of 13th or the 14th century. The use of vegetable in the form of palmettes, arabesques or rinceaux reasons, also points out more modern forms. Only one capital with buttons appears older.

Outside, on the decorative level, the visitor will not fail to be delayed rather with the apse: it is divided by four imbedded columns which delimit five sides. Lesenes, which compose thirteen blind arcades, have with their repercussion of the bases decorated with human masks or animals. The axial bays are shifted a little compared to reserved spaces by the imbedded columns. Old stereotypes of 1908 clearly showed the composition of material of the sideboard.

It is interesting to be delayed on protomés of animals (bovidé, horse, wolf?) or human faces with the expressive grins. One of them keeps its invoice “lombarde” of devil, with its projecting eyes in a hollowed out space, the flattened nose, and grimaçante stops it. For the 12th century as all that remains antiquated, but so suggestive. The structures of this typical Modeste monument but are also a recall and a homage insisting to the Trinity. Doesn't one find in all the parts of the building this presence symbolic system marked by three spans, the apse with three bays, ternary lighting, the rate/rhythm of arcades tripled with the bedside? The print lombarde is deep, she recalls us in the rusticity of her vocabulary, and the modesty with which she was established with the doors of the majestic solid mass of the Jewel cases, which the prestigious model of Embrun is not distant.

the campaign excavations on the side of the apse of the vault, in 2000 allowed the setting the day of 7 remarkable rupestral tombs with several phases of re-employment since the 12th century until the Modern Time. Associated archaeological furniture is also remarkable: medieval ceramics and glass, ceramics decorated with the 16th century, elements of ornament or bronze clothing…

Personalities born in the commune

Joseph ibn Caspi - born with Argentière in 1279 (deceased in 1340) also known under its name of Provence from SEN Bonfos or Gift Bonafoux from Argentière, is a Rabbi and Jewish philosopher averroïste of XIIIe century.

Personalities related to the commune

Andre Lagarrigue - born with Aurillac - 1924-1975

Encore raises in Polytechnique, it contacts experimental physics by proposing its services with the research team animated by her professor, Louis Leprince-Ringuet. This one, detecting its incipient taste and its solids qualities, encourages it to require its detachment and to be directed towards the scientific research. Lagarrigue takes part then in experiments intended to determine, by means of the wilson cloud chamber, with Argentière-la-Bessée, the mass of the particle called then meson m, currently named muon.

See too

Common of Hautes-Alpes

External bonds

the official site of Argentière-la-Bessée
Argentière-la-Bessée in images to also see the small valley of Fournel
Argentière-la-Bessée other images
money mines
Discovered
Presentation of Argentière
Of the ballades starting from Argentière
Diaporama
the line of the Railroad and Photographs old
Argentière-la-Bessée on the site of the national geographical Institute
Argentière-la-Bessée on the site of INSEE
Localization of Argentière-la-Bessée on a chart of France and communes bordering
Plane of Argentière-la-Bessée on Mapquest
the Relay on the Jewel cases

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