Dauphin

Classified as a “Village and Town of Character”, Dauphin is one of the most beautiful perched villages, which still has many medieval gates, remains of the old ramparts and a tower of the Count’s castle topped by a statue of the Virgin Mary.

With an architecture of stone amid wooded hills, Dauphin is one of the most beautiful hilltop villages of the Haute-Provence. The plain at his feet, crossed by the Loose and Laye, is rich in history. In Roman times, it is crossed by Domitian Way, called here Seinet Road, which connects Spain to Italy. And its surroundings are inhabited today’s farms, which succeeded the Gallo-Roman villas, revealed over time many valuable relics: mosaics, aqueducts, inscriptions, pottery … It was only later, Middle Ages that Dauphin will occupy the heights already crowned with a fortress to protect themselves from looters who roam the country then. This time, the village retains some of the towers and ramparts of the walled enclosure. Past the access gates to the city, one long stroll in the cobbled streets that s’enfilent under covered walkways. We discover the facades of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, beautiful device. Randomly in the streets, we will search niche of angles, mullioned windows, entrance doors to frames carved. All the charm of Dauphin is there in the color of the stone – a beautiful limestone from nearby quarries – the attention to decor, the constant reminder of a long history which marks the lower house. And we will not fail to make a stop at Saint-Martin occupies the site of the chapel of the castle and dates from twelfth and sixteenth centuries. She has a remarkable cross vault ribs, forming a rosette and has a nice tiled steeple green scales. At Christmas time, it outlines the most beautiful church crèches in the area santons clothes dating from the eighteenth century. Dauphin, whose site is classified, opens with a remarkable panorama. South side, from the old tower crowned by a balustrade, one faces the Luberon, reforested the early twentieth century and offers to walk her large forest estate. North side of the terrace of the castle that forms a balcony overlooking the plain, the view goes further: very near the twin village of Saint-Maime, which they say “tambourine dance to the same” as Dauphin in center, the fortified farm of Encontres (XV century) with its gate with battlements, farther beyond the fertile plain, the domes of the observatory of Saint-Michel and the High Plains, where again, the village of Mane and Citadel Forcalquier dominated by peaks that stand Lure horizon. Today, in addition to farming and local products (honey farm products), Dauphin has been enriched by the presence of artisans that offer, many visitors, quality productions. For more information: Syndicat d’Initiative: 04 92 79 52 76 Website: http://dauphin.levillage.free.fr