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.

It was the lord of Dauphiné, the Dauphin, who partly owned this mineral exploitation for the making of his silver coins. The site of Brandes was exploited from around 1180 to 1339. The community, open to the surrounding regions (as evidenced by the coins found on the site from Vienne, Lyon, Provence, Burgundy etc.;) numbered around 200 individuals , women and children included. The archaeological site was classified as a "Historic Monument" in 1993. The Groupement d'Etude des Mines Anciennes (GEMA) carries out visits for the public during events and promotes this unique ensemble historically and scientifically. This visit to the site may be followed by a visit to the museum of Huez and Oisans where the major pieces from the archaeological excavations that have been taking place since 1977 are kept. Registration required at the Huez and Oisans museum