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webcamsGuided Tour of the Archaeological and Medieval Site of Brandes – European Heritage Days
Contacts
Site Archéologique de Brandes
Station, quartier des Bergers
38750 Alpe d'Huez
View map
e-mail : gemarcheo@wanadoo.fr
Openings
Saturday 19 September 2026 between 4 pm and 5.30 pm.Wear hiking boots or sneakers; hiking poles may be helpful; 50-meter elevation gain; rocky terrain; tours canceled in case of rain.
Sunday 20 September 2026 between 2.30 pm and 3.30 pm.
Wear hiking boots or sneakers; hiking poles may be helpful; 50-meter elevation gain; rocky terrain; tours canceled in case of rain.
Description
Listed as a Historic Monument since 1993, the Brandes archaeological site offers a glimpse into the Middle Ages: between the 12th and 14th centuries, a community lived year-round on the Huez mountain pasture, on a mining plot.
Brandes was systematically excavated between 1977 and 2015; the foundations and substructures of a parish church, a village, and industrial areas (ore crushing and ore washing facilities) were studied and documented by archaeologists led by Marie-Christine Bailly-Maitre. Brandes had a year-round population of 150 to 200 people and belonged to the lord of the Dauphiné, the Dauphin. The finished product of the Brandes silver mine—that is, silver dust (after extraction, crushing, grinding, and washing), was transported by mule all the way to the Dauphin’s mint in Grenoble to be used in the production of his coins. A permanent exhibition at the Alpe d’Huez Museum of History and Archaeology showcases this mining operation. Flavien Perazza, President of the Groupe d’Etude des Mines Anciennes (GEMA) association, will accompany you during these two tours.
Booking
Telephone : 06 31 90 28 03e-mail : gemarcheo@wanadoo.fr
Prices
Free access.Services on site
- Not accessible in a wheelchair
Location
Description
Listed as a Historic Monument since 1993, the Brandes archaeological site offers a glimpse into the Middle Ages: between the 12th and 14th centuries, a community lived year-round on the Huez mountain pasture, on a mining plot.
Brandes was systematically excavated between 1977 and 2015; the foundations and substructures of a parish church, a village, and industrial areas (ore crushing and ore washing facilities) were studied and documented by archaeologists led by Marie-Christine Bailly-Maitre. Brandes had a year-round population of 150 to 200 people and belonged to the lord of the Dauphiné, the Dauphin. The finished product of the Brandes silver mine—that is, silver dust (after extraction, crushing, grinding, and washing), was transported by mule all the way to the Dauphin’s mint in Grenoble to be used in the production of his coins. A permanent exhibition at the Alpe d’Huez Museum of History and Archaeology showcases this mining operation. Flavien Perazza, President of the Groupe d’Etude des Mines Anciennes (GEMA) association, will accompany you during these two tours.
Booking
Telephone : 06 31 90 28 03e-mail : gemarcheo@wanadoo.fr
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