tour of the archaeological site of Brandes

The visitor walks through the exceptional archaeological site which includes the ruins of the old parish church of Saint Nicholas, the fortification, the remains of the old village.

The lord of the Dauphiné, the Dauphin, owned part of this ore mining operation for the production of his silver coinage. The Brandes site was mined from around 1180 to 1339. The community, which was open to the surrounding regions (as evidenced by coins found on the site from Vienne, Lyon, Provence, Burgundy, etc.), numbered around 200 individuals, including women and children. The archaeological site was classified as a "historic monument" in 1993. The Groupement d'Etude des Mines Anciennes (GEMA) organizes visits for the general public and promotes the historical and scientific value of this unique site. The site tour can be followed by a visit to the Musée d'Huez et de l'Oisans, where the major finds from archaeological excavations carried out since 1977 are on display. Please register with the Musée d'Histoire et d'Archéologie de l'Alpe d'Huez.