Saint-Maime can be explored through several clearly distinct themes: the Chapelle Sainte-Agathe, the remains of the Château des Comtes de Forcalquier and the history of lignite mining. A panoramic view over the Mane plain, a botanical record and a cycling route add to its cultural and historical appeal. If you are looking for accommodation for a stay in Saint-Maime, you can decide in advance whether architecture, industrial history or the landscape should shape your trip most.
Chapelle Sainte-Agathe and Château des Comtes de Forcalquier
The Chapelle Sainte-Agathe has a barrel-vaulted nave. The term describes a type of vault that runs lengthwise over the space and gives the architecture a distinctive feature. The chapel was probably built in the 12th century; the tower of the Château des Comtes de Forcalquier was also probably built in the 12th century. This gives both a shared, explicitly approximate historical reference point, although architecturally they represent different features: the vaulted nave in one case, the tower in the other.
The grounds of the Chapelle Sainte-Agathe offer an excellent panoramic view over the Mane plain. Only a few sections of wall remain of the château. The Chapelle and the Château des Comtes de Forcalquier were listed as historic monuments by decree dated 4 March 1998. This date refers to their joint listing and should be distinguished from the probable construction dates of the chapel and tower.
Mining sites and the history of lignite
The Saint-Maime mine was spread across three mining sites: Le Bois d’Asson, Le Collet Rouge and Le Puits Neuf, also called Puits du Foulon. Puits Neuf and Puits du Foulon are two names for the same third site. The former mining yard at Saint-Maime is associated with lignite extraction. Together, the three site names and the former mining yard offer different points of reference for the town’s industrial history.
The Musée de la mémoire ouvrière, Mines et Mineurs de Provence presents the exploitation of the Alpes de Haute-Provence lignite basin between 1874 and 1949. This period is the timeframe for the basin’s exploitation as presented by the museum. This makes it possible to distinguish the named layout of the mine from the time period covered by the museum’s subject. The museum is accessible to visitors with reduced mobility; if this information is important for your plans, please confirm current accessibility before visiting.
Landscape, plants and cycling route
Saint-Maime is one of the municipalities within the Réserve naturelle Géologique du Luberon. Several hundred different plant species have been recorded at the Lignite Saint-Maime site. These nature-related references differ in scale: the reserve designation applies to Saint-Maime as a municipality, while the plant record relates to the Lignite Saint-Maime site. Geological and botanical themes thus complement the town’s mining history.
The Les Collines de Manosque à vélo cycling route also passes through Saint-Maime. It offers a different focus from the chapel, château and museum: if you would like to include cycling in your stay, you can consider the route as a separate factor when choosing your travel interests.
Discover more destinations: Enchastrayes, Authon, Saint-Vincent-sur-Jabron, Valernes, Annot, Allos, Le Lauzet-Ubaye, Beynes
For the broader travel overview: Alpes-De-Haute-Provence.
