This is perhaps the most interesting geological sight around. At the same time, it is very easy to reach. It is just off the road to Barles, north of Digne-les-Bains. Many ammonites can be seen on an area of 350m².

Tip: better come in the morning, otherwise the rock is in the shade.

Description

This rock layer contains a large number of fossil ammonites. Almost 1500 of them have been counted here. They come from the Lower Jurassic (200 to 290 million years). If you look closely you can also see the shell of the nautilus and other shellfish.

The layer is only 20cm thick. The slab of light gray limestone is now inclined at 60°.

Site history

The site has been known since the early 20th century when the current D900a road was widened. Larger parts were not uncovered until 1979. Recently, the site has been modernised to protect the slab.

Access by public transport

You can normally reach Digne les Bains with the regional lines Zou! (only french) from the following cities: Marseille, Avignon, Gap, Barcelonnette and Veynes. You can then approach the site with the green line Transports Urbains Dignois: Line 2 in the direction of Champourcin, Monday to Saturday only. To get to the Colonel Payan bus stop: leave the bus station towards the roundabout and aim for the street with avenue trees behind the pink house. This is how you get to Boulevard Gassendi. The bus stop is there after the first cross street. On the way back, the bus stops right at the bus station.

You can also come from Nice by narrow-gauge railway. This journey, which lasts more than three hours, is worth the trip in itself, you drive through wild mountain landscapes from the sea to the Alps. Information under Chemins de fer de Provence (only french). To get from the train station to the bus stop to continue your journey, it is best to look at the map on this page (yellow route).

Get off the Champourcin stop and continue on the D900a road out of town for about 900 metres. The slab is on the left after an old bridge.

Or, if you want a view over Digne, walk back from the stop on the road to the bridge, but turn right before it. The road mainly leads to the parking lot of a museum. Here we look for a path that leads into the forest on the right before the parking lot (you take the second one, the first one leads to a house). This path climbs about 60 meters in altitude next to a stream. At the top to the right and crossing the slope further above the settlement of Champourcin. Also pass behind the hill of La Plâtrière. In the following valley it goes down and past the shooting range. You come back to the D900a road and to an old bridge. Left here and you are right in front of the stone slab.

You can also walk directly from the centre to the site, there is a hiking trail that starts at the bridge opposite the city centre. See the map for the route.

Access by car

Digne-les-Bains is located in a valley east of the Durance, the central town is well signposted from all directions. In town, head east of the river bed, on the D900a road signposted Barles. You drive out of town, cross a bridge to the other bank and past the settlement of Champourcin. 900 meters further north, the slab is directly on the left of the road.

Parking site

Parking spaces are on the left in front of the slab.