Eyguians lies at the confluence of the Buëch, Blaisance and Céans rivers. Two distinct themes stand out for a stay: the history of the old village and its routes, and postal history at the Poste-Musée. You can plan your visit according to whether you are especially interested in the ruins and routes around Vieil Eyguians or the exhibitions on the history of the postal service.
Vieil Eyguians: Village History and Routes
At the Site du Vieil Eyguians, a themed trail winds through the ruins of the old village. The settlement was abandoned at the beginning of the 20th century. Much earlier, the lords of Mévouillon from Arzeliers had fortification walls built to protect Eyguians: this took place in 1264. The walls can therefore be placed in the timeline of the area’s history, while the abandonment of the old village marks a later chapter.
The Église Sainte-Madeleine at Vieil Eyguians was built in the 14th century and restored by the municipality in 1983. A sundial is located on a former inn in Eyguians. There is also a playful fitness trail on the plateau at the Site du Vieil Eyguians. The church, sundial and trail offer different points of interest if you would like to discover other local features alongside the history of the old village.
The Le Vieil Eyguians walking trail No. 19 starts and ends on the left, behind the railway underpass in Eyguians. Check this access point again before setting out. For mountain biking, the Le Vieil Eyguians VTT route No. 13 offers another option: it passes through the Beaumont state forest to the old village.
A viewpoint along the mountain-bike route offers views of Mont Chabre, the Eyglière ridge and Rocher de Beaumont. The different activities and landmarks are useful when choosing a route: for the walking trail, the stated start and end point; for the VTT route, its passage through the state forest and the viewpoint. Both options bring the old village and its surroundings into your plans in different ways.
Postal History at the Poste-Musée
Opened in 2009, the Poste-Musée combines postal services with a museum area dedicated to the history of the postal service. The permanent exhibition includes, among other things, postilions’ clothing and boots, a mounted courier’s uniform, telephones, mailboxes and scale-model postal vehicles. These objects highlight different aspects of postal history, from equipment to communication and transport.
Every year, the Poste-Musée holds a week-long themed exhibition. It includes conferences and other events; dates and the programme may vary. If you would like to plan your trip around the exhibition, check the specific dates and programme in advance.
Plan Your Stay Around Your Interests
These themes offer different starting points for planning your trip. Choose the focus that suits your interests, and take the specific dates of the annual exhibition into account.
Discover more destinations: Sainte-Colombe, La Salle Les Alpes, Le Monêtier-Les-Bains, Espinasses, Dévoluy, Neffes, Risoul, Puy-Saint-Pierre
For the overview of the wider area: Hautes-Alpes.
