Discover a unique geological heritage through many preserved and developed sites. In the UNESCO Geopark of Haute Provence no less than 150 geological, heritage or cultural sites are waiting to be explored along themed routes. In an area that stretches from the Lake of Sainte-Croix to Lake Serre-Ponçon, you will come across ammonites and fossilised dinosaurs, landscapes remarkable for their formation, fauna and flora, works of art installed in the middle of nature, artisans and local producers with authentic expertise. All these sites tell the history of local geology but also the history of Provençal and mountain culture.
Not far from Sainte-Croix-du-Verdon, you will find the village of Riez, , located in the centre of the Plateau de Valensole, at the confluence of three valleys. These were borrowed by the Romans, during the Empire, and the Christians, in the Middle Ages, who left in turn vestiges testifying to the economic and cultural importance of the village.
Baume Bonne cave
Discover an archaeological site that attests to the presence of humans in this region for almost 400,000 years! The Baume-Bonne cave The Baume-Bonne cave Quinson Museum of Prehistory.
To get there, you will have to follow a scrubland path along which explanatory panels describe the relationship between humans and their environment. The hike (3.5 km, 200 m d +) takes you back in time. But when you reach your destination, the reward will be great!
Quinson's Museum of Prehistory
Here, mammoths and megaceroses?
The Quinson’s Museum of Prehistory is both a discovery and an experience. It is home to many wonders and discoveries from a large number of excavations in the region. Modern museography is intended to be as educational as it is entertaining and spectacular. On site, you will have the choice to see the permanent and temporary exhibitions, but also, you will be able to register to go and discover the Baume Bonne cave or to go and see the prehistoric village of Quinson (village composed of different types of reconstructed dwellings).
But at the entrance to the museum, a strange herd awaits you: mammoth, sabre-toothed tiger, megaceros, woolly rhinoceros… all life-size… just imagine, the children love it! These animals were present here… a long time ago. The permanent exhibition offers multiple views on prehistory. All the pieces presented are original, directly from the excavations carried out: cut stones (points, bifaces, fragments, etc.), tools, weapons, ceramics, ornaments, and more. How could you not be moved by the idea that some of these pieces, which are right in front of you, were made several hundred thousand years ago?
