Located on the edge of theDigne Prealps and on both sides of the riverBléone, which flows southwest through the middle of the commune and crosses the town; it forms part of the commune's northeastern and southwestern borders.
Digne-les-Bains is the capital of the Department ofAlpes de Haute-Provence. Placed in the geographical centre of the Department, the commune is home to 17,400 inhabitants, making it one of the smaller prefectures of France by its population. The town centre is at 608 metres (1,995 ft) altitude.[3]
Digne is a sprawling commune in the plain formed around the Bléone Valley, given that the terrain that surrounds it is very rugged. The old town is built on a hill between the Bléone and the torrent of the hot springs, but the town has gradually extended in the three directions of the valleys, especially downstream. Its geographical location is quite remarkable, given that it lies at the edge of thePrealps, on athrust fault that bears its name. A part of the town is completely enclosed in the Bléone Valley, while the town extends widely, on a gentler relief, downstream. With the annexation of neighbouring towns, especially downstream, the town extends over 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) in length.
Panoramic views of Dignes-les-Bains
General view of the city from west to east
The old centre from east to west
An aerial view of the centre from west to east
An aerial view of the centre from the east, towards the direction of the Durance river
The commune, which is at the heart of the geology, has its specificities related to the ancient town[clarification needed] built upstream of thecluse which theBléone has worn into theNappe de Digne to emerge into the tertiary basin of Valensole.[5]
The districts of the town cover thealluvium of the streams which converge upstream of the Cluse. The most eastern suburbs joined a line of limestone hills with flint of the Carixian age, forming russet cliffs oriented to the south-west.[5] The hot springs were captured, since ancient times, to the point where these carixian limestones are cut by the hack of the southernmost valley, descending from Entrages. Their healing powers are linked to their ascent along the gypsiferous Triassic levels of the sole thrust of theNappe de Digne.[5]
The most visible mountain of the commune is Le Cousson at 1,516 metres (4,974 ft); the Bigué rises to 1,653 metres (5,423 ft).[6]
Many reliefs lie around Digne and are objectives for hikers.
The Rocher de Neuf Heures [Rock of Nine o'clock]
Three chapels (the Chapel of our Lady of Lourdes, the Chapel of Saint-Vincent, and the Chapel La Croix)
The right bank of the Bléone (Park of the Haute-Provence Geological Reserve, along the Caguerenard path, paths to access the top of the slope (over 200 metres (660 ft) above the town) and the crest of Andran - Martignon - La Bigue.
Trails to access the Basses Bâties de Cousson, and then Le Cousson
In respect of its 'world famous and outstanding accumulation of fossils from a lower Jurassic marine environment', theInternational Union of Geological Sciences (IUGS) included the 'Ammonite Slab of Digne-les-Bains' in its assemblage of 100 'geological heritage sites' around the world in a listing published in October 2022. The organisation defines an IUGS Geological Heritage Site as 'a key place with geological elements and/or processes of international scientific relevance, used as a reference, and/or with a substantial contribution to the development of geological sciences through history.'[7]
Bus - Since 1992, Digne has the TUD (Urban Transport Digne), which manages the public transport. Initially with six buses, this service increased its vehicle fleet in 1998 with the acquisition of two buses powered by natural gas.
Currently, six bus routes are available to the people of Digne.[8]
None of the 200 communes of the Department is in the zero seismic risk zone. Digne townships are located in zone 1b (low seismicity) of the 1991 deterministic classification, based on the historicearthquakes,[9] and in zone 4 (medium risk) according to the EC8 probabilistic classification 2011.[10] The town of Digne is also exposed to three other natural risks:[10]
Forest fire
Flooding (in theBléone Valley) and in those of its tributaries;
Land movement: all the western part of the municipality is covered by a medium to strong hazard.[11]
The foreseeable naturalrisk prevention plan [fr] (PPR) of the town was approved in 2008 for the risks of flooding, movement of land and earthquakes[12] and theDICRIM [fr] has existed since 2009.[15]
The commune has been the subject of several orders of natural disaster: in 1984 for an earthquake, and many times for floods, landslides and mudslides, and landslides due to drought.[10] Also included is a flood disaster prior to the orders: The waters of the Mardaric and Eaux-Chaudes which flooded the town in 1928, and the Bléone in 1973 which partially destroyed the bridge.[16] This destruction was caused by the breakdown of a jam created in the bed of theBès [fr], causing a wave of flooding.[17] Similarly, several massive landslides have happened in the history of the commune, for example on 24 December 1916, which caused the collapse of part of Courbons, and 2002–2003 at Villard-des-Dourbes.[18] Earthquakes have a long history in Digne. Retaining those macro-seismic events felt higher than level V on theMSK scale (sleepers awake, falling objects), we obtain the following list (the specified intensities are those felt in the town, the intensity may be stronger at epicentre):[19]
The earthquake of 31 August 1684, an intensity felt Digne of V.5 and whose epicentre was located at Digne[20]
The earthquake of 2 December 1872, an intensity felt V and whose epicentre was located at Digne[21]
The earthquake of 20 September 1876, an intensity felt V.5 and whose epicentre was located at Digne[22]
The earthquake of 23 February 1887, an intensity felt VII and whose epicentre was located inBussana Vecchia (Liguria)[23]
The earthquake of 27 September 1911, an intensity felt V and whose epicentre was located atBarrême[24]
The earthquake of 16 February 1915, an intensity felt V and a half and whose epicentre was located at Digne[25]
The earthquake of 19 June 1984, of an intensity felt V and whose epicentre was located inAiglum[26]
Courbons (Corbo, cited in the 13th century but the church is cited as 1180)[27] was attached to Digne in 1862.[28] ThePriory of Sainte-Eugénie, ancestor of the parish church, was part of thechapter of Digne.[27]Jews installed here weremassacred in 1335. Its fortifications were destroyed byLesdiguières during theWars of Religion (1590). It had 80feus in 1315, 90 in 1471 and 507 inhabitants in 1765.[28]
Les Dourbes [fr] (De Dorbas, cited in 1035)[3] was attached to Digne in 1974, as an associated commune. The village is located on a barrier and aMotte-and-bailey castle was built in the 11th century.[29] It had 48 feus in 1315, 12 in 1471 and 249 inhabitants in 1765, 296 inhabitants in 1851, 62 in 1982.[30]
Gaubert (Galbertum, cited in 1180)[27] was attached to Digne in 1862.[31] The parish church was part of the chapter of Digne, who collected the tithe.[27] The square, defended by theCatholic League and Sautaire, was taken by Lavalette in 1591. It had 63 feus in 1315, 41 in 1471 and 456 inhabitants in 1765.[31]
Les Sieyes, or just Sieyes, for short (Lascieias, cited in the 13th century)[32] was attached to Digne in 1862. There were 10 feus in 1315, 13 in 1471 and 307 inhabitants in 1765.[32] The two priories, Sainte-Madeleine and Saint-Véran, were part of the chapter of Digne which received the tithes.[27]
The toponymDinia is known from the 1st century AD (Ptolemy,Pliny the elder). Various hypotheses have been advanced. According to Papon, the name is formed by the hydronymDin (Gaulish water), with the suffix-ia. According to other scholars, the name is derived from a Roman proper noun, Din(n)ius.[34][35]
The current name of Digne-les-Bains was formalised on 25 June 1988, following the decree of 21 June 1988 published on 24 June of the same year in theOfficial Journal.[36] Previously, the commune was simply called Digne, still a frequent appellation in the current language.
Digne-les-Bains dates back to theNeolithic era. The presence of three rivers, theBléone, theMardaric, and theEaux-Chaudes, made the place ideal for human settlement. Before the Roman conquest, it was the capital of theBodiontici (orBrodiontii), whose name is found on theTropaeum Alpium atLa Turbie. The town then became a Roman town namedDinia in the 1st century, and became a frequent commercial stop during the Roman era. Following the Romans, it was known asDigna by 780,[3] and was appreciated for its thermal waters.[citation needed]
There are a few rural settlements near to the town, such as the Hôtelleries de Gaubert, southeast of the town, where the excavated building was occupied from the beginning of the 1st century to the end of the 4th century.[37] In this area, at the foot of Le Cousson, the soil has been cultivated continuously, from antiquity right up to the recent reforestation.[38]
Two separate districts were formed: The town and the city. The town, an ancient site, was surrounded with thecastrum of the episcopal chateau built on the Rock. The two neighbourhoods functioned as two independent entities from each other and from their inception. The town remained under the supervision of the provost of the chapter while the city orcastrum was of the bishop.[39] The arrival of the Angevins at the head of the County of Provence in 1246 accelerated the recovery process of the comital rights usurped during the previous period by lay or ecclesiastical lords.[40]
The return of the comtal power in the city led to a change in the relationship between local authorities and community: In 1260, the city of Digne was given the right to appoint cominaux responsible for ensuring the management of the city.[41] The consolidation of the two sites was done administratively in 1385 by institutional trustees, replacing the cominaux, responsible for representing both the city and the village. The institution evolved with administrative rationalisation at the beginning of the 15th century.[41]
From 1475, preaching byFranciscans caused several murderous anti-Jewish riots.[42]
Like the rest of France, Digne was taken in theWars of Religion. In 1562, theHuguenots broke into the cathedral, shredded the tables and smashed statues, removed relics and ornaments and burnt them with the choir on the forecourt.[43] The town was attacked by Protestants in 1574.[44] In 1575, it was theChurch of Saint-Jérôme which was sacked.[43] In the following years, the city remained under pressure. In 1579, the captain of Archal occupied the surrounding countryside.[45]
In 1589, with the advent ofHenry IV, the ultra-Catholics in theCatholic League controlled the town, until 1591. The same year, the town fell before the Royal armies ofLesdiguières. The cathedral, guarded by the defenders, was attacked, bombarded withcatapults and then stormed.[46] It is also during this period that the inhabitants seized the château of the bishops, on Le Rochas, destroying it to prevent it from falling into the hands of one party or another.[46]
The news of thestorming of the Bastille was welcomed, this event announced the end of royal arbitrariness and, perhaps, more profound changes in the organization of the France. Immediately after the arrival of the new, agreat phenomenon of collective fear seized France, the fear of an aristocratic conspiracy wishing to recover their privileges. Rumors of troops in arms, devastating everything in their path, propagated at high speed, causing shots of weapons, the organization of militias and anti-aristocratic violence. This great fear, arrived inSeyne on 31 July and belonging to the current "fear of the Mâconnais", reached Digne and its region on 31 July 1789 the day before spreading toRiez, where it arrived during the day, andMoustiers andCastellane.[47]
The city was established as the capital of the Basses-Alpesdistrict [fr] from March 1790, to the creation of the departments. Thepatriotic society [fr] of Digne was founded in September 1790 (the second Department by seniority); it was affiliated with theJacobins in June 1791, and became a relay of the club in the Department, accepting the affiliations of many clubs in the Basses-Alpes.[33] It also received the request of affiliation ofCarpentras.[48] First calledBourgeois Alcove, it then took the name ofPatriotic Club, then on 9 October 1792,Société des amis de la Constitution, de la Liberté, de l’Égalité [Society of friends of the Constitution, of freedom, of equality]. It established a committee of correspondence responsible for relations with other societies affiliated on 14 November 1792.[49] On 10 and 11 January 1793,General Peyron [fr] performed a descent from Marseilles, supported by the Marseille club-goers with weapons. He took revenge because he was unable to obtain the post of attorney general trustee,[50] two departmental administrators were removed[51] and a fine of 13,000livres paid to the Marseille club.
In 1792–1793, the section of Digne was controlled by thefederalists [fr]. In connection with the section of Marseille, it disseminated the ideas of theGirondists, until their proscription on 31 May 1793 and the crushing of thefederalist insurrection in July, which resulted in a sentence to death in Digne.[52]
Digne welcomed the prefecture under the Consulate. The prefectLameth (1802–1805), created a shaded promenade between Pré de Foire and the banks of theBléone and planted plane trees on the boulevard Gassendi.[54]
In early March 1815Napoleon Bonaparte passed through Digne-les-Bains on his way from imprisonment on the island ofElba, gathering support as he moved north. This was early in hisHundred Days which ended with his defeat at theBattle of Waterloo.
In 1851, the announcement of thecoup d'état of 2 December caused uplift in rural areas, and peasants installed a provisional government in Digne.[3]
As many municipalities of the Department Digne acquired schools well before theJules Ferry laws.[55] However, no instruction was given to girls in 1861, only theFalloux Laws (1851) required the opening of a girls school in the communes with more than 800 inhabitants[56] (and that Courbons and Gaubert, small neighbouring rural communes, have a girls school). It was only in the 1860s that the town of Digne chose to open a school for girls (plus the Gaubert and Courbons schools for girls).[57] It was with the Ferry laws that all girls of Digne and the attached villages were regularly educated.
In 1862, Digne absorbed the neighbouring areas of Courbons, Gaubert and Les Sieyes.[58] These connected communes also had their schools, each a school for boys,[55] with Courbons and Gaubert furthermore possessing a school for girls.[56] The commune of Dourbes had two schools for boys (at Dourbes and at Villard),[55] and none for girls.[56]
210 people of Digne died for France duringWorld War I. The hospital took care of the soldiers injured in the fighting, including nearly seventy who died of their injuries, and are buried in the military cemetery of the village square. This square also includes the bodies of two soldiers who died during the Second World War.
The first resistance fighters were a group organized around Simone Pellissier who distributed the journalCombat, from 1941.[59] On 1 May 1942, she laid a wreath at thewar memorial, during a demonstration; she was arrested the next day[59] with six other protesters.[60]
Digne was occupied by Italy, then by the German army, following the invasion of the free zone, after thelanding of the Allies in North Africa on 8 November 1942. Thirty-four Jews were arrested in Digne before beingdeported.[61]
On 16 August 1944, the city was bombed byP-47 Thunderbolts, which took off from field close toBastia in Corsica. Their goal was the great bridge of Digne, crossing the Bléone, but only a single bomb reached the bridge, impeding the passage of vehicles for only a few hours. Several buildings were damaged.[62] The bombing killed twenty-four civilians and two Germans[62] (25 in total according to Jean Garcin).[63]The city was liberated on 19 August 1944[63] byTaskforce Butler, a motorized detachment of armoured elements, infantry and artillery from the36th U.S. "Texas" infantry division and the45th U.S. infantry division, assisted by the forces of theResistance.
The release of Digne was part of a movement of circumvention of the Rhône Valley, across the Alps, by theRoute Napoléon, entrusted to Taskforce Butler and which aimed to cut the retreat of the German army stationed in Provence. InAspres-sur-Buëch, the column moved westward, in the direction of the Rhône and Crest (Battle of Montelimar). The fighting was in the day, with six killed and eleven wounded on the Allied side and at least 21 killed on the German side.[64] German soldiers who fell during the fighting for the liberation of Digne were buried in the German military square of the cemetery of the village, with the other soldiers killed during the occupation, during various battles against the forces of Resistance. In March 1958, their bodies were exhumed and transferred to the German military cemetery ofDagneux in Ain.
Immediately after the Liberation, the cleanup began. Executions after trials (with a judge, but without lawyers) took place.[65]
On 24 March 2015Germanwings Flight 9525, carrying 150 people (including six crewmembers), had a rapid descent from cruising altitude approximately 45 minutes after takeoff. It crashed a few miles from the city, en route toDüsseldorf fromBarcelona.[68]
Secretary-General of the Élysée (1982–1991), Cabinet member (1991–1993), Regional councillor (1992–1998), Member of the National Assembly (1997–2012), President of the General Council (1998–2012), Deputy Mayor (2001–2002)
Hospital doctor, Departmental councillor (2015–2021), President of the CC Asse Bléone Verdon (2014–2016), President of theCA Provence-Alpes (2017–present)
Digne-les-Bains is ranked three flowers in theContest of Flowery Towns and Villages. The city was rewarded with the three flowers in 2007's Contest of Flowery Towns and Villages.[76]
Graphs are unavailable due to technical issues. Updates on reimplementing the Graph extension, which will be known as the Chart extension, can be found onPhabricator and onMediaWiki.org.
In 2006, the commune launched a housing construction project aiming to increase the population beyond 20,000 inhabitants (the lower threshold for obtaining certain public aid).
Seat of the prefecture, and theinspection académique [fr] of Provence, the city of Digne also has the main educational establishments of the Department:
Fourteen schools, 11 primary schools, a private primary school (under contract and whose teachers are employees of National Education), and two nursery schools[79]
AUniversity Institute of Technology, which provides lessons inagronomy, DUT engineering of the environment, DUT administrative and commercial management, DUT quality industrial logistics and organization, business tourism, geomatics professional license[83]
Digne was elected as theSportiest town in France [fr] among towns with less than 20,000 inhabitants in 2006, by the daily newspaperL'Équipe.
The town has several sports facilities, with free access or reserved for the many sporting clubs and schools. These includegyms, a stadium, an equestrian centre, agolf course, and a publicswimming pool. It is one of the rare French towns to provide free access to tennis courts.
At the request of the Junior Town Council, askatepark has been renovated which is open access.
In 2017, the active population amounted to 6,422 persons, including 939 unemployed.[91] These workers are mostly employed (86%) and are employed in the town (83%).[91]
At the end of 2015, theprimary sector (agriculture, forestry, fishing) had 27 active institutions within the meaning of INSEE (including non-professional operators) and 144 salaried jobs.[91]
The number of professional farms, according to the Agreste survey of the Ministry of Agriculture, is 37 in 2010. It was 44 in 2000,[92] and 106 in 1988.[93] Currently, these operators are essentially turned to breedingsheep andcattle.[92] From 1988 to 2000, the usefulagricultural land (SAU) strongly increased, from 1,002 hectares (2,480 acres) to 2,902 hectares (7,170 acres).[93] The SAU has increased slightly during the last decade, to 2,989 hectares (7,390 acres).[92]
The agricultural activity of the surrounding communes allows the existence of Alp'Agri, an agricultural dealer with 30employees.[94]
The vine was cultivated for wine into the 1950s, which led to local consumption in Digne. This cultivation has declined, to occupy no more than a few hectares in 2005.[95]
At the end of 2015, the secondary sector (industry and construction) had 213 institutions, using 348 employees, with no establishment exceeding 50 employees.[91]
At the end of 2015, thetertiary sector (commerce, services) had 1,096 establishments (with 2,777 salaried jobs), in addition to 420 institutions in the administrative sector (together with the health and social sector and education), employing 5,465 people.[91]
Digne-les-Bains is the seat of the Chambre de commerce et d'industrie desAlpes-de-Haute-Provence. It manages theSisteron-Thèze aerodrome and the J. Gage centre.
SAMSE, a dealer in building materials, employs 73 people.[98] Still in the area of trade, supermarkets are also important employers.Carrefour employs 250 people andIntermarché has 55 employees.[6]
Orange employs approximately 300 employees.[6] Among computer service companies, Xsalto, offeringweb hosting,development, and installation, employs 22 staff.[99]
According to the departmental observatory of tourism, the tourist function is secondary for the municipality, with less than one tourist greeted per capita.[101] However, it offers substantial accommodation capacity, mainly merchant.[102] Several accommodation facilities for tourism exist in the commune:
There were 9 hotels in January 2020, of which 4 with two stars, 3 with three stars, and 2 unclassified. The total hotel capacity was 240 rooms.[91]
There are a two-star and a three-star campsite in the commune, with a total capacity of 251 pitches.[91]
Furnished or unfurnished apartments provide a capacity of hundreds of places.[103][104]
The spa treats respiratory diseases andrheumatism. They use a hot spring at 50 °C and 110,000 overnight stays are made through this activity. The station is given financial autonomy to hire 76employees in the high season (September–October).[6] The establishment has aZen Space and Fitness offering massages of the face and the body, and swimming in thermal water at 33 °C.[108]
TheDalle à ammonites, a classified site, is a rocky layer dating back 200 million years, where one can find more than 1,500 fossils ofammonites containing some which reach a diameter of 70 centimetres (28 in).
The commune maintains a southern aspect and has remarkable heritage items including two cathedrals, an archaeological crypt under the Cathedral of Notre-Dame-du-Bourg [Our Lady of the City], the chapels (Saint Pancrace, Our Lady of Lourdes, etc.)
TheCathedral Notre-Dame-du-Bourg [fr], anhistorical monument,[109] is aRomanesque cathedral whose foundations date back to the 9th century. Victim of numerous attacks and looting, it was renovated at the beginning of the 13th century. Parts from the 11th and 12th centuries still exist. Its white marble altar is of theMerovingian era.
An archaeological crypt in the basement of the cathedral aids in the discovery of the history of Digne-les-Bains. In the crypt is the exact location of the origins of the city, attested by the presence of ancient walls from the 1st century AD. This corresponds to an urban space and implementation of three buildings of Christianity from the 5th century to the 11th century.[110]
TheSaint-Jérôme Cathedral, also an historical monument,[111] is aGothic cathedral from the 15th and 16th centuries. The facade is from the 19th century.
The Notre-Dame-de-Lourdes Church was built in 1870 on the Mountain of the Cross, north of Digne, though at the bottom of the slope. The brick walls are its main feature, with its large size.[112]
The chapel of Saint-Vincent belonged to an abbey orpriory. It is still in good condition.[112] The Chapel of the Cross, located nearby, is gradually becoming a ruin.[112]
There are numerous churches in the connected communes.
In Courbons, the parish church is Notre-Dame-des-Anges (13th-14th century).[28] It was dedicated to St. Clair in the 17th century.[27] Its single nave consists of three arched barrel bays, and emerges into a squarechoir.[113] There is also a chapel of Saint-Pierre, south of the village, an establishment which may be very old.[27]
The Church of Dourbes is under the name of Saint-Genest, and the oldest parts are from the 12th and 13th centuries.[27][30] In Villard, the Saint-Jean-Baptiste Chapel probably dates from the 17th century.[27]
In Gaubert, the parish church of Saint-Étienne was built in Romanesque style at the end of the 16th and 17th century.[31] Grand-Saint-Martin farm incorporates some remains of amedieval priory.[27] The chapel of St. Sebastian is situated on the ridge east of the village.[27]
In Sieyès, the Church of Sainte-Marie-Madeleine[27][32] remains along with the Church of Saint-Véran, between the stadium and the cemetery.[27] A more recent chapel was built next to the town hall and school.
There are also two chapels on the mountain which overlooks the ravine of Eaux-Chaudes to the north, Saint-Pons which is in ruins, and the Chapel of Saint-Pancrace. The latter dates from the 17th century and is being restored. It has the distinction of having its bells suspended in a flat metalcampanile. The pilgrimage of 12 May, when the priest blessed the sources, remained into the 1950s, and has recently resumed.[114]
The remains of fortifications can be recognised if one pays attention to the plan of the old town around the central district, built on the heights. Some of the walls and some towers which surrounded the city from the 14th century can still be seen. These remains of ramparts are currently based in the landscape of the dwellings.
Hotel Thoron de la Robine from the 17th century[115]
The sculptures. From 1983 to 1991, an annual international event of sculpture revealed international talent. Award-winning works, inCarrara marble, adorn roundabouts, squares and public gardens.
TheGassendi Museum [fr] is a modern museum enabling the public to move from art to science, and from the old to the contemporary, across a route in time. Its archaeology section was founded in 1889.[117][118]
CAIRN is an informal art of nature Research Center.[119]
The Museum of theSecond World War contains documents and period objects evoking the strategic role of Digne in alpine defense and the damage suffered.
Digne is a setting for much of the first section ofVictor Hugo's 1862 novelLes Misérables, where it is the home ofBishop Myriel. In early English editions, the town's name was rendered D----. The town is left unnamed in most stage and film adaptations.
Digne celebrateslavender, a symbol of the region, in the first weekend of August, at theCorso of lavender. A funfair is installed for the occasion, and afireworks display is organized. A parade of floats is held, including a procession consisting of a dozen floats in lavender and crepon, led by 500 musicians and dancers from various nations. TheCorso draws 10–15,000 people to the town each day.
The Corso of Lavender, in August
A float of lavender at theCorso in Digne
Miss Corso at the Corso of Lavender in Digne
A Corso float before the statue of Gassendi in Digne
In May, every year since 2002, the city has organized a festival of urban culture and music. Initiated by theLigue de l’Enseignement des Alpes-de-Haute-Provence [League of education of Alpes-de-Haute-Provence] and the L'ADSEA. The festival is now organized by theÉcole du sous Sol [School of the Underground] association.
The objective of this festival is to make urban culture (graffiti,slam,street basketball,hip-hop dance,skateboarding) known to a wider public along with contemporary music (rap,rock,pop,electro) through various artistic and cultural events under the program. A sports tournament closes the event. The Hip Hop dance battle and the basketball tournament are open to girls (two girls and two boys by team for the 4 vs 4 battle and at least one girl by team for the 3 vs 3 basketball tournament). An open stage is offered to amateur and semi-professional teams.
Every spring, each year, the René-Char cultural centre receives cinema personalities and projects art and test films at theFestival les Rencontres cinématographiques de Digne. Its president is Jean-Pierre Castagna.
From 2013, the VTT Rando 04 club organizes the Enduro of the Black Lands,Enduro event.
Created in 1999 byThe Athletic Club of Digne, theHalf-marathon of the Ammonites connects the village of Barles with the prefecture at the beginning of September, each year until 2002. Its rolling course, measured at 21.1 kilometres (13.1 mi) according to the protocols of the French Athletics Federation, goes through the most spectacular sites of theHaute-Provence Geological Reserve [fr], some of which are world-renowned. Examples of these include theclues of Barles and Péouré, theVélodrome d’Esclangon [Velodrome of Escanglon],Voile de Facibelle [Veil of Facibelle], theDemoiselles coiffées, theIchthyosaur, and theDalle à ammonites.
It has been awarded two borders by the guideLe Bipède [The Biped].[citation needed] It welcomed more than 1,550 runners in 4 editions.[citation needed] This sporting event had its a 5th edition in 2013 on the 100th anniversary of the Barles road and in favour of theNational League Against Cancer [fr], in memory of Cyril Gues, the first winner of this competition, who died in 2012.
Initiated in 2005 by the Athletic Club of Digne (one edition), the Trail of Cousson was resumed in 2008 by the Athletics Association.[121] The race walking event offers numerous courses in the heart of the Haute-Provence geological Reserve throughrobines [fr] (the famous "muck"), pre-Alpine forests, villages and ascents of the bar of the Dourbes andCousson [fr]. Free racing and animations for children as well as heritage walks are also organized parallel to sports competitions. The event also fits into an exemplary sustainable development policy which gives it national recognition.
The arms of Digne-les-Bains are:"Azure to a fleur-de-lis ofOr accompanied at head by a cross ofgules, at flanks with two "L" letters capitalised facedArgent and in point of a letter "D" capitalised also of Or"[122]
These arms are not attested before the 17th century and the above composition is only one variant among many others existing. The "L" can be gold and can be replaced by silver lions. There are also versions without the golden "L" or lion:"azure to a fleur de lis of gold, accompanied at head by a cross of silver with a letter "D" of the same at the point". The latest version is"azure to a cross of gold at head and a "D" of the same at head". The cross is an evocation of the episcopal see, and the "L", perhaps, is a souvenir of a concession ofLouis II of Anjou, from the beginning of the 15th century.[123]
Gabriel Gillybœuf proposed in the early 1980s to replace the capitalised "D" with a fountain expressed in heraldic terms by"a bezant fess, wavy silver and azure" (while maintaining the cross, fleur-de-lis, and capitalised "L" respectively).[123]
^abcdde La Torre, Michel (1989).Alpes-de-Haute-Provence: le guide complet des 200 communes [Alpes-de-Haute-Provence: The complete guide to 200 communes] (in French). Paris: Deslogis-Lacoste.ISBN2-7399-5004-7.
^"La sécurité civile" [Civil security] (in French). DDRM. p. 39. Dossier départemental sur les risques majeurs dans les Alpes-de-Haute-Provence. Archived fromthe original on 22 September 2012. Retrieved7 April 2015.
^abc"Notice communale" [Communal notice].Gaspar (in French). Ministère de l’Écologie, du développement durable, des transports et du logement. Archived fromthe original on 21 February 2014.
^Préfecture des Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, DDRM, p. 37.
^abPréfecture des Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, DDRM, p. 96.
^Préfecture des Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, DDRM, p. 80.
^Préfecture des Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, DDRM, p. 81.
^Charles Rostaing, Essai sur la toponymie de la Provence (depuis les origines jusqu’aux invasions barbares), Laffite Reprints, Marseille, 1973 (1re édition 1950), p. 165–166.
^F. GUICHARD, Essai sur le cominalat dans la ville de Digne, 2 vol., Digne, 1846Internet Archive
^Aurell, Martin; Coulet, N.; Boyer, Jean-Pierre (2005).La Provence au Moyen Age [Provence in the Middle Ages] (in French). Aix-en-Provence.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
^abVaritille, F. (2013).Digne à la fin du Moyen-Age : Politique et société [Digne at the end of the Middle Ages: Politics and Society] (in French). Paris. Mémoire soutenu à Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne, dir. O. Mattéoni.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
^Henri Julien (directeur de publication), Guide du débarquement de Provence, 15 août 1944, Digne-les-Bains, Éditions de Haute-Provence, 1994, (ISBN2-909800-68-7), p. 127.
^Besson, André (2005). "27 et 30 janvier 1948 : la double catastrophe aérienne du massif du Cheval Blanc des appareils C-47 Dakota et B-17 Flying Fortress du 61st Troop Carrier Group, 14th Squadron de l'USAF" [27 and 30 January 1948: The double Cheval Blanc massif air disaster of C-47 Dakotas and B-17 Flying Fortress of the 61st Troop Carrier Group, 14th Squadron of the USAF].Chroniques de Haute-Provence (in French).354:122–125.
^Jean Garcin,De l'Armistice à la Libération dans les Alpes de Haute-Provence 17 juin 1940 - 20 août 1944. Chronique : essai sur l'histoire de la Résistance avec un prologue 1935-1940 et un épilogue 1944-1945, Digne : Imprimerie B. Vial, 1990. p.229.
^"La Libération" [The Liberation].Basses-Alpes 39-45 (in French). Retrieved8 April 2015.
^François de Bouchony, « Le parti socialiste a besoin de conforter son ancrage municipal »,La Provence, 3 February 2014 (in French), p.3.
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^Observations sur différentes maladies faites par M. Ricavy,... pour servir de suite à son Traité sur les eaux minérales de Digne, Ricavy (Médecin), Guichard fils, 1790, 26p.
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Baratier, Édouard (1961).La démographie provençale du XIIIe au XVIe siècles, avec chiffres de comparaison pour le XVIIIe siècle. Démographie et société. Vol. 5. Paris: SEVPEN/EHESS.
Baratier, Édouard; Duby, Georges; Hildesheimer, Ernest (1969).Atlas historique. Provence, Comtat Venaissin, principauté d'Orange, comté de Nice, principauté de Monaco [Historical Atlas . Provence, Venaissin County, Principality of Orange County of Nice, Principality of Monaco] (in French). Paris:Librairie Armand Colin.(BnF noFRBNF35450017h)
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