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This small mountain village near Château-Queyras displays a strong South-American influence in its houses, following a 19th-century emigration and eventual return.
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on the big map, NE
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Hautes-Alpes (05470)
Population: 377; Altitude: 1471 m
Michelin map: #244 (France Rhône-Alpes)
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History |
O.T. |
Hiking |
Lodging Hotels |
Iron Archetecture
Most of the regional mountain villages are built mainly from wood, a perpetual fire risk but the most prevelent building material. Aiguilles as a couple of fine exceptions, thanks to a local engineer named Duclos who worked for Gustave Eiffel.
Maison Eiffel. This all-iron house with its square towers was built at the beginning of the 20th century and first displayed at Bordeaux. Built to be disassembled like the famous Eiffle Tower, this iron house was moved to Aiguilles where it was reassembled at its current location.
Le Grand Hôtel. M. Duclos built this building in 1910. After over 50 years as a fine old hotel, it's now a holiday center.
South-American Buildings
Those of the 1829 immagrants [sp] who were successful to return home in style built wonderfully bourgeoise houses in the South-American style, like the "Mexican" influence in Barcelonnette.
Château de l'Auche. The "Auche" house was built at the end of the 19th century by the family Challe, then sold to the Margnat family around 1920. Ravaged by a fire in the winter of 1995-96, it now houses the village school.
Town Hall. This South-American style building now houses the village mairie and the Office de Tourisme.
Maison de Queyras
Now the center for the Office de Promotion du Queyras and the "Community of Communes", this building is a nicely-restored old farm.
St Jean-Baptiste Church
This a 17th-century église has a narrow, round bell tower made from the local "tuff" stone.
History
Tucked into the mountains and safely away from Provencal Saracens and the worst of the Wars of Religion, Aiguilles was unfortunately ravaged over the centuries by fire and flood.
The most serious floods occurred in 1408, 1431, 1957 and 2000. In years where a bit more rain would have been welcome, major fires occurred: 1594, 1629, 1746, 1829, 1886, 1889. The 1829 fire triggered the mass immagration to South America.
The "Republic of the Escartons" was established in 1343. In 1346, "L'Escarton du Queyras" joined France, but kept some special privelages. In 1789 the special "Escarton" privileges were abolished, and the the department of the Hautes-Alpes was created, adding the new cantons of Aiguilles and Abriès.
In 1685, following the revocation of the Edict of Nantes (that lead to making Protestantism illegal), all of Aiguilles' Protestant families moved away. The space was filled by Protestants and the Vaudois who moved into the Queyras region in 1689. In 1985, 300 years after the Edict of Nantes was revoced [sp], Protestant families returned to the Queyras.
In 1800, the seven communes of the Queyras were grouped together into the canton of Aiguilles (but Aiguilles remains one of the "communes" in that canton). In 1856 a road up the Valley of the Guil was built, an important event for Aiguilles, Abriès and Ristolas.
Office de Tourisme
Tel: 04 92 46 70 34; Fax: 04 92 46 79 05
Email: officedutourisme@aiguilles.com
Hiking
- Maps:
- IGN (1/25,000) #3637 OT "Mont Viso, St-Veran, Aiguilles"
Lodging - Hotels
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