Sisteron, Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, France

Sisteron is a French commune, located in the department of Alpes-de-Haute-Provence in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region. Sisteron is situated on the banks of the River Durance just after the confluence of the rivers Buëch and Sasse. It is sometimes called the “Gateway to Provence” because it is in a narrow gap between two long mountain ridges. people have settled in the strategically favorable location for over 4000 years.

Capital of the Sogiontiques (Sogiontii), the ancient Segustero is, from Roman times and the construction of the bridge over the Durance, a strategic crossing point. A bridge could also exist from the Gallic period at this place where the Herculean Way joins the territory of the Voconces. This major bridge for the entire region has earned it a thousand-year-old influence.

In the 11th century a fortress was built by the Count of Forcalquier, which secured the northern border of the county of Provence. Probably from this time the city is called the Gate of Provence. Sisteron has been under the French crown since 1483. During the Huguenot Wars, from 1562 to 1594, Sisteron was highly competitive and was besieged twice, the walls still in existence today and the citadel date from this period.

This role led to very ancient fortifications and a local bishop at the vi th century. From an administrative standpoint, the community is given a charter consular the 12th century, later turned into viguerie and district after the French Revolution and was often a border. Further proof, the pontiffs of Hospitallers ask for and obtain their attachment to the Templars.

With the very recent increase in the number of crossings of the Durance, it lost its importance, and it never found its bishopric after the Revolution. It is currently a small industrial and tourist town.

History
Sisteron has been inhabited for 4000 years. The Romans used the route through Sisteron as can be shown by a Latin inscription in the rocks near the road to Authon. It escaped the barbarian invasions after the fall of Rome, but was ravaged by the Saracens. It was first fortified by the Counts of Forcalquier in the 11th century and later was the northern boundary of the domain of the Counts of Provence. In 1483 during the reign of Louis XI, Sisteron re-joined the kingdom of France. Around this time there were seven plagues that killed two thirds of the population. Between 1562 and 1594 the town and its citadelle was fought over by Protestants and Catholics including two sieges. During this time the walls of the town were built. During the French Revolution the town remained Royalist. Consequently, when Napoleon arrived on his march north after his escape from Elba in 1815, the town ignored him and let him through.

Antiquity
Throughout the territory of the town, many archaeological discoveries have been made dating from Prehistory and Antiquity.

The city, probably belonging to the Gallic people of the Sogiontiques (Sogiontii), a client of the Voconces, has always drawn its importance from the crossing of the Durance: the Romans made pass the Domitian way (Via Domitia) which linked Italy to Italy. Spain via the Montgenèvre pass in Sisteron. This step (mansio at that time) is noted on the goblets of Vicarello Segusteronem (on the first).

The city is elevated to the rank of civitas of the province of Alpes-Maritimes between the ii th century and the end of the iv th century and became the seat of the diocese of Sisteron to v th century (the first known bishop appears 449).

Middle Ages
While the south-east of Gaul was a Burgundian land, the king of the Ostrogoths Theodoric the Great conquered the region between the Durance, the Rhône and the Isère in 510. The municipality thus depends briefly again on Italy, until 526. Indeed, to be reconciled with the Burgundian king Gondemar III, the Ostrogothic regent Amalasonthe returned this territory to him.

Cultural element very important, a community charter consular was assigned to the community at a date prior to the 13th century. It is confirmed by the counts in 1212. This preserves seigniorial domination, includes tax breaks, establishes a direct link with the count in exchange for loyalty and particular missions.

This is in Sisteron, the convent of the Cordeliers, that Raimond Bérenger V, Count of Provence, sign the 13th century the will in which he attributed the county of Provence in one of his four daughters, Beatrice, future wife Charles d’Anjou, brother of Saint Louis. From there date the rights of the kings of France over Provence.

In the Middle Ages, the city is a stronghold of the Counts of Forcalquier in the 11th century and property of the counts of Provence, it is for them the northern border. However, it remains an important place of passage on the Durance: it is thus in Sisteron that the first Roma in France are reported, in 1425 [ref. necessary]. The city is the seat of a bailiwick from the 14th century, built in viguerie early in 1480. Bequeathed in 1483 to Louis XI, Provence joined the kingdom of France.

From 1562 to 1594 the Wars of Religion saw Protestants and Catholics fight over the city and its fortress, which controlled the only bridge over the Durance. In February 1562, half of the Protestants of Forcalquier took refuge in Sisteron. After the first incidents which saw the Protestants sack the cathedral, smash its bell tower and its organs, as well as the convents of the Cordeliers and the Dominicans, the city was besieged by the Catholics of Sommerive, lieutenant general of the king, in June 1562. She is defended by her father the Count of Tende, Paulon de Mauvans, Furmeyer and 5,000 men. The Protestant leaders fled at night, and the city was taken on September 6: the garrison was massacred and the Protestants expelled : they took refuge in Lyon. After Amboise’s edict of pacification (March 1563), they were escorted back under armed escort by the count of Tende, governor of Provence, and Paulon de Mauvans, Protestant captain.

In 1567, the city was again besieged and taken by Protestants. The Catholics Carcès and Sommerive failed to take it back , but the Protestants returned it to them. Similarly, in spring 1585, the Leaguers try a hand against the city, without success.

It was then that Jehan Sarrazin was responsible for strengthening the square, and built the current citadel from 1589 to 1612.

The epidemic of plague of 1628 – 1630 Sisteron key, provided either by a mule carrying hemp or by the regiment of Picardy. The pit containing lime- washed bodies discovered in 1938 at the Gournias bridge must date from this epidemic.

On Richelieu’s order, Prince Jean Casimir of Poland was accused of conspiring against France and was locked up in 1639 in the keep of the citadel: it was the beginning of the citadel’s political prison career.

In 1720, to prevent the spread of the plague of Marseilles, a sanitary cordon was established on the Jabron. Barriers guarded by soldiers from the Poitou regiment are placed on the bridges of Jabron and Gournias. A guardhouse intended to house the soldiers was built near Notre-Dame du Signavous 47. The city is the seat of a vigil until the Revolution.

The news of the storming of the Bastille was welcomed, this event announcing the end of royal arbitrariness and, perhaps, more profound changes in the organization of the France. The city, endowed with a garrison, played a key role in the solidarity which was then organized: the neighboring village communities took refuge with furniture and cattle in the stronghold; the arsenal is used to arm the men and train a bourgeois militia, soon to be renamed the National Guard. It also supplies ammunition to Manosque who requests it.

An important change has taken place: communities have armed themselves, organized to defend themselves and their neighbors. A feeling of solidarity was born within the communities and between neighboring communities, and the consuls decided to maintain the National Guards. The bishopric was abolished in 1790. There are many twists and turns in the creation of a patriotic society. Riots are provoked by the royalists on May 17, 1792. However, a significant part of the population supports the Revolution.

Like many municipalities in the department, Sisteron had a school long before the Jules Ferry laws: in 1863, it had only one, located in the capital. As the Falloux law (1851) requires, a girls’ school is also open. The town benefits from the subsidies of the second Duruy law (1877) to build a new school. Sisteron also had an asylum room (nursery school).

In 1884, the town was affected by a cholera epidemic: it caused 18 deaths from 23 August to 5 September. The citadel was decommissioned in 1889 and became the property of the municipality.

Tourism
Important place of passage between the Mediterranean basin and the Alps, Sisteron has a mainly summer tourist activity. The presence of a body of water on the banks of the Durance reinforces its appeal. The town’s buildings include the citadel and the 12th century former Sisteron Cathedral dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary and Saint Thyrsus (Cathédrale Notre Dame des Pommiers et Saint Thyrse). There are three museums of note: the Citadel Museum, the Baden-Powell Scout Museum and Musée Terre & Temps (about the earth and the measurement of time)

On the Route Napoléon, on the banks of the Durance and facing the cliffs of the Rocher de la Baume, Sisteron is a privileged stopover. “Here a country ends, another begins” because it marks the passage between Provence and the Dauphiné, between the Alps and the sea.

The city has invaluable natural and historical assets such as its Citadel and its landlocked landscapes in a typically Provençal environment on the banks of the Cluse de la Durance. Its exceptional sunshine (with an average of 300 days of blue sky per year) gives a privileged climate conducive to a very diverse and exceptional flora and fauna.

The Citadel, a remarkable historical monument built on a rocky outcrop, dominates the Durance valley and offers a breathtaking panorama of Haute-Provence.

Originally built as a border between the Dauphiné region and Provence. Declared a historical monument, it bears 8 centuries of architecture and history over an area of 10 hectares.

Tourist attractions include the countryside, the lido and the airfields at Vaumeilh, La Motte-du-Caire and Château-Arnoux-Saint-Auban, which are dedicated to the sport of gliding. There is an annual festival with many events throughout the summer months. There is a market every Wednesday. A long distance walk, the GR 6 (Grande Randonnée) passes east–west through Sisteron.

Historical heritage
Considered exceptional, the site of the citadel was classified in 1925, covering an area of 7 hectares. The classification concerns both the citadel, the rock which bears it, the woods and terraces, and the perspective on the city and the citadel.

Citadel of Sisteron
Between Provence and Dauphiné, dominating the cluse where the Durance flows, the citadel rises, bars the sky, crowns the city with its enclosures, its bastions, its keep. Listed histortical monument, the citadel carries 8 centuries of architecture and history.

The citadel of Sisteron, classified historical monument is the work of a precursor of Vauban, Jean Érrard, engineer of Henri IV. From its elevated position we discover a superb panorama over the city and the Durance valley. The Clock Tower served as a prison. The view plunges over the lower town and goes, to the north, as far as the Laup and Aujour mountains which close the Laragne basin.

Saved from destruction by Prosper Mérimée, five towers remain of the enclosure built in 1372 – 1373, rounded outwards and open to the inside of the city, with portions of the wall, elements classified as historic monuments. These five towers each have a name:

The Fort tower at the foot of the Citadel.
The Gens d’Arme tower near the Post Office, the only one that has been inhabited and has a roof.
The tower of La Médisance near the Cathedral, which has preserved the internal staircase which gave access to the wooden galleries (hoists) resting on the corbels which crown and embroider them today.
Notre-Dame tower
The tower of the Porte Sauve because this tower juxtaposed the door through which 1,000 Protestants fled in 1591.

Civil architecture
The old town has several old houses:
Haberdashery Street, a house with twin bays and equipped with broken arches, and the capitals are carved with plant motifs (14th century); some of these elements are inscribed
Hotel de la Baume, reconstructed in 1946, preserves the early 14th a mullioned bay and a tent;
some houses of 15th and 16th centuries street Pousterle;
rue Droite, a house from the early 17th century to the beautiful carved door.

The hospital dates back to the creation of the charity hospice in 1705 by Guillaume de Saint-Donat. Enlarged several times, its facades have been redone and no longer present original elements. Its facades and roofs are nevertheless listed.

Two buildings bear witness to the prosperity of the Belle Époque:
the Savings Bank: the front section is adorned with a broken pediment with broken fins, between which is placed the city’s coat of arms. It is surmounted by a crown and horns of plenty;
the Civatte building, Place du Général de Gaulle, has many neat ornamental details: moldings, sculptures, ironwork.

The Baume bridge is 40 m long and 6 wide; it rests on an arch with a span of 28 m. Its last reconstruction dates from 1945, after the previous one was destroyed by Allied bombardments. This previous bridge dated from 1365 (repaired in 1501). The April 7, 1879, after a period of heavy rains, an abutment wall collapsed. The work lasted until 1886, and restored a wider and lighter bridge (with hollowed out parts). It also has mine furnaces, to sabotage in case of invasion . It replaced an older bridge, traces of which remain.

The bridge over the Buëch, near the confluence with the Durance, dates from 1727. It was widened in 1865 by arches made of cow horns on the front and rear beaks, then in 1975 by a slab placed in corbel. It rests on three semicircular arches, 22.8, 12 and 12 m, for a total length of 56 m, a width of 4.3 m originally, 7.4 m in 1865 and 9 m today. This bridge replaces an old bridge built in 1202, and repaired in 1399.

The Château de la Cazette, near this bridge, with a U-shaped plan, dates from the end of the 17th century, and succeeds a former hunting rendezvous. All around the city, there are other stately residences:
the castle of Sainte-Euphémie (17th century);
the castle of Beaulieu;
the castle of Servoules;
the castle of Haute-Rive;
the castle of Sainte-Ursule;
other châteaux in Valernes, Noyers-sur-Jabron and Valbelle.

Old Cathedral
The ruins of the old chapel (13th century), in the oldest part of the citadel, destroyed by Allied bombing of August 15, 1944(day of the landing of Provence), are still visible.

Place Général de Gaulle, the Notre-Dame-des-Pommiers church, a former cathedral, which is linked to Provençal Romanesque art, is remarkable for its beautiful dark nave, without a transept. As is common in Provencal buildings, a dome on horns rises at the entrance to the choir. It is a building classified as a historical monument.

The old Notre-Dame and Saint-Thyrse cathedral or more commonly called Notre-Dame-des-Pommiers (alteration of the word “pomœrium” designating the space between the houses and the ramparts) harmoniously combines Romanesque art and Lombard architecture. This building divided into three aisles terminating each on an apse is built in the 12 th century and is enlarged by the construction of several side chapels between the end of the 13 th century, the beginning of the 14 th century and the 17 th century. This monument was classified as a Historic Monument in 1840.

The old cathedral is the only witness of the early episcopal group. The set is dominated outside by a tower comprising a high chapel, topped by a spire built in the 19 th century AD and a second tower, octagonal. The dome surmounts a dome and presents a gallery decorated with delicate small columns.

The main portal is framed on the outside by slender columns topped with human, bestiary and plant ornaments. The building houses many paintings, the oldest dating back to 16 th century AD. The major work is a magnificent altarpiece carved by Lalozière to 17 th century AD and used as the setting for two paintings by Nicolas Mignard: the largest is the Holy Family surrounded by musical angels and the second: the Eternal Father. A rich set of walnut stalls with mercies dating from the 17th century century of our era completes this set. Several sculptures are to be discovered, such as the mausoleum of Bishop Glandevès Cuges from the 17th century or a Madonna and Child from the 18th century. Romantic style The organ was installed in the 19 th century.

Very close to the cathedral, the old convent of the Visitation, built in the 17 th century is located at the site of part of the original Episcopal. Its chapel adorned with magnificent frescoes houses the Earth and Time Museum, which is open to visitors free of charge from April to September.

Other religious heritage
In addition to its old cathedral, Sisteron retains several chapels in its town, as well as the remains of former convents disused during the Revolution.

The chapel of the missionaries of the Cross, the chapel of Saint-Marcel, the cloister of Saint-Dominique, the fortifications of the old town, the chapel of the old hospital and all the small heritage are all witnesses of the rich past of the city of Sisteron

Louis-Jullien Auditorium: former chapel of the Missionaries of the Cross
The auditorium is located in the upper part of a chapel built from the late 17 th century and registered historic monument in 1987. It was originally included in a package also consists of the house of the Missionaries Cross (whose facade maintains a double twin bay on big column and the 13 th century). This establishment was intended to train young ecclesiastics in the work of the missions following the revocation of the Edict of Nantes in 1685. The interior of the auditorium has a remarkable decoration of plasterwork composed in particular of pilasters, Corinthian capitals, rosaries, dentils.

Saint-Marcel Chapel
Near the Dominican convent is Saint Marcel, a former parish church in the suburb of La Baume. This building classified historic monument in 1984, was built in the 12 th century, then raised to 17 th century (according to the inscription mentioning ” 1644 ”) and finally expanded to 18 th century. The simplicity of the exterior leaves no room for rich interior decor. But inside you find such a vast fresco dating from the 17 th century, a set of stalls in walnut, a master altar, stained glass Eliane Way and the Cross of artist Frédérique Maillard.

North of the chapel around a small square with a porch, besides the former hospice monks Chardavon, former refuge of Gap bishops built in 16 th century is distinguished by its turret. La Baume was indeed dependent on the Bishopric of Gap until the late 18 th century.

Cloister Saint -Dominique
Facing the ancient town of Sisteron on the opposite bank of the Durance, the former Dominican convent is located in the suburb of La Baume, at the foot of the majestic rock. It attracts the eye with its imposing slender Romanesque bell tower.

The present church dates from the 13 th century. This building was classified as a Historic Monument in 1963. Divided into three naves each leading to an apse, it retains, despite numerous alterations, particularly following the Wars of Religion and the French Revolution, a homogeneous Gothic ensemble among the most important of the Alpes-de -Haute-Provence. The bell tower is surmounted by a reproduction of the ” Queen Jeanne Diamond ”. The adjoining cloister, originally large in size, retains several fireplaces. One of them frames a fountain, on which is inscribed the date 1562. Each summer, the open-air church serves as a grandiose setting for performances of the Nuits de la Citadelle.

Fortifications
5 rounds, 3 doors, sections of walls erected along the Durance and the remains of a monumental gate are the main witnesses of the old fortifications around the ancient town of Sisteron in 14 th century. The towers of the Fort, the Gens d’Armes, the Medisance, Notre Dame and the College, listed as Historical Monuments in 1875, take their name from nearby buildings or from real and legendary events.

The gates of Nière and Fonts-Chaudes protect the 2 major accesses to the Bourg Reynaud district (part of the old town along the Durance). At the northern entrance to the city, the Porte de l’Escourche rubs shoulders with the remains of the old imposing Dauphiné gate (destroyed during the 1944 Bombardment).

Chapel of the old hospital
The current hospital is the witness of several hundred years of medical activity in Sisteron. The city had up to eleven hospitals. The hospital retains two wings from the 18th century and a chapel listed as an historic monument in 1989. This chapel marked on the outside by a steeple, is decorated inside with false painted ribs as well as fine rococo style woodwork dating from the 18th century from the original chapel of the hospital center. The north facade of the medical establishment is decorated with an elegant wrought iron gate. This building is the property of the department. The town of Sisteron also retains a wealth of furniture including a set of paintings representing donors.

Convent of the Dominicans
Rue du Couvent: from the Dominican convent, there remains the church and the remains of the cloister serving as the setting for the Nuits de la Citadelle festival. Founded by the Countess of Provence Béatrix de Savoie, its first stone was laid in December 1248 and the first mass said in 1252. The church is in very poor condition after the siege of Sisteron by Sommerive, but service resumed in 1581, before the church was completely repaired in 1684. An aisle of two bays is added to the end of the 17th century. Major repairs took place in the 1960s.

The church, monument, is one of the largest churches Gothic department, built in the 13th century: it measured 15.5 meters wide and 45 or 47 m long. The nave, 36 m long and placed between two aisles, opened into the 11 m long choir. Currently, only the choir, the last bay of the nave, two bays of the north aisle, the western facade and part of the walls, as well as the bell tower, Romanesque remain.

Small heritage
Sisteron has a small and varied heritage that you can discover during your walk in the old center. Sometimes you have to open your eyes, lift your head or even push doors, but the walls and the heart of the old town are rich in a heritage that will take you through the centuries.

Cultural heritage

Museums
By visiting the 3 museums of Sisteron, you will discover the ancient city, the time of the Earth and of Man and the habits and customs of the 19th century. The Ornano space of the Gallo-Roman museum and the Domnine gallery are the setting for many varied artistic exhibitions.

The Gallo-Roman Museum
The museum is located in the Ornano building. The latter is part of the rehabilitation and revitalization phases of the old center. It offers a setting with 3 cultural poles: the Gallo-Roman museum, the Ornano space and the old archives. The Gallo-Roman museum of Sisteron presents, in its permanent exhibition, the major pieces discovered during archaeological excavations carried out in Sisteron and Bevons, a neighboring village, in 1946 and 1964 respectively. Statuary, architectural decoration, everyday objects, the collections, labeled “Musée de France” offer to discover the funeral rites of the Gallo-Roman era as well as, through two examples, the architecture of ancient mausoleums. The permanent exhibition sheds light on the ancient history of the city in a resolutely contemporary, evolving and interactive setting.

Ornano cultural space
Located on the ground floor of the Ornano building, the cultural space of the same name hosts temporary exhibitions over an area of 100 m². Painting, sculpture, photo, heritage, architecture… the exhibitions are varied.

Domnine Gallery
The gallery is located in the heart of downtown, in rue Mercerie. From February to December, it is the setting for numerous exhibitions of local or regional artists or artisans.

Cultural facilities

Media library
The first municipal library of Sisteron was created in 1948, it was located in the town hall. In the 1980s, it was transferred to avenue Paul Arène then, in 2016, the premises were enlarged in order to enrich the documentary spaces and accommodate the multimedia space.

School of Music
The Sisteronais-Buech School of Intercommunal Music offers lessons in three areas: Sisteron, Laragne-Montéglin and Serres. 22 qualified professors offer the teaching of 19 instruments and collective practices. Individual instrumental lessons are given and many instrumental ensembles are offered. The EMI Sisteronais Buech also offers a rich and varied musical season on the territory of the community of municipalities.

Artists & Craftsmen
On the strength of an old reputation, Sisteron is building a new image for itself by enhancing its heritage. Both in its cultural offer and for its overall urban approach to revitalize, restructure and renovate the old historic center. The old center and the surroundings of the city are rich in history. The municipality is committed to highlighting the work of gypsum and plaster omnipresent in many mansions that house piers, rosettes, balustrades and other fireplaces.

Traditions and festivals

Sisteron fair-exhibition
The Fair-Expo has become over the years a real economic showcase. Created more than 30 years ago, it has gained some success in our Alpine departments. Every year, the public has the chance to welcome known godmothers or sponsors and to attend a singing tour of a singer or variety singer. Many sectors of activity are represented such as crafts, commerce, housing, associations, gastronomy and the tertiary sector. It is held under a marquee on the Place de la République and it is coupled with the Auto Show, in the Allée de Verdun.

Feast of the Lamb
The Sisteron Lamb, Label Rouge, is in the spotlight! Transhumance in the city, discovery of the sheep industry, large peasant and artisanal market, Provencal meals and many activities. A special day, testimony to the tradition, agriculture and culture of Provence.

Originally, almost 30 years ago, the Fête de l’Agneau was created by the Rotary-Club at Parc Massot-Devèze in the middle of summer in order to introduce this symbol of Sisteron that is the Lamb during of a friendly moment. The new Lamb Festival is today organized in partnership between the City of Sisteron and the players in the sheep industry.

Farmers’ market, crafts and local products but also various activities by professionals such as the presentation of our three local breeds and beef breeds, demonstration of sheepdogs, demonstrations of equipment (restrainer, ultrasounds), shearing and spinning… but also more fun activities such as songs and Provençal dances, inflatable games and mechanical sheep, creative hobbies, wooden games, giant stuffed animals…

Nights of the Citadel
The Nuits de la Citadelle shows have a long and beautiful story since 1928 with Marcel Provence, and which never ceases to welcome prestigious artists. A diversification which also took place outside the walls of the Citadel, but always in close relation with the historical monuments of Sisteron and their safeguard. Already in 1961, the cloister of Saint-Dominique hosted chamber music. Finally, to complete this diversification, sacred music naturally took its place under the vaults of the Notre-Dame des Pommiers Cathedral, a masterpiece of Roman art.

Today the Nuits de la Citadelle are proud of this diversity, the fruit of the long and beautiful history that has seen them be born and grow. The Citadel, Saint-Dominique and the Cathedral have welcomed the biggest names in theater, music and dance. Privileged moments of happiness that we wish to share with you for a long time to come…

Passage of the Fort
The death of Louis III of Anjou, then Count of Provence, titular king of Naples, Sicily and Jerusalem, calls his brother René to the throne. Public celebrations announce the advent to the inhabitants of Sisteron. Troubadours, jugglers, beggars, waders, knights and lords, in a joyful and colorful atmosphere, restore all the spirit of the end of the Middle Ages: tales, juggling, fabliaux, songs, skits, games, fights.

The entertainment is permanent: craft and gourmet market, old trades, military and civilian camps, acrobats, waders, fire eaters, fabliaux, music, tales, bird of prey, tournament of chivalry, fights.

Major sporting events

Boulist Days:
Every year, for more than 50 years, in September, the city hosts Boulistes Days. They are organized, as usual, by the BOULE SISTERONAISE, with the assistance of the Municipal Services. They take place at the Sports Complex of Marres, on the Place de la République and at the Pierre-Lanza Sports Complex.

Perce-Roche Trail
Perce-Roche Trail makes it possible to offer an exceptional passage through the Citadel of Sisteron:: take the 258 steps which linked the Porte du Dauphiné to the Citadel… This is the first time that a sporting event has passed through the monument! The course also includes some vertiginous passages, such as the equipped passage of the Baume mountain and a steep section towards the cliff of Gâche.

Natural heritage
Sisteron is located at 485 m above sea level, on the banks of the Durance, 45 km from Forcalquier, 133 km from Marseille, 145 km from Grenoble and 180 km from Nice.

The town occupies a privileged position, near the confluence of the Buëch and the Durance, where the latter crosses the Baume cluse, on a site that is easy to fortify. The site of Sisteron is a site-bridge, the only one where a bridge survived in a durable way on the Durance, from Antiquity to the 19th century.

Nicknamed “the Gateway to Provence”, it borders on Dauphiné. It has many monuments including its citadel, opposite the rock of the Balsam which the strata are almost vertical, a cathedral of the 12th century Our Lady of Apples, five towers, several chapels and the remains of ancient monasteries. It is a city that welcomes many tourists attracted by its Mediterranean climate, with an annual average of 300 days of sunshine, its rich and varied heritage, its body of water or its aerodrome.

During the last two great glaciations, the Riss glaciation and the Würm glaciation, the Durance glacier advances to Sisteron. The Rissian glacier crosses the cluse and its meltwater gives birth to the Durance between Montgervis and the mountain of Briasc. The Buëch valley was also in ice until Montrond. The Würm glacier is less important and stops approximately at the level of the Plan de la Baume without going up in the valley of Buëch.