Saint-Maime: Chapel, Castle Ruins and Mining History

Saint-Maime brings together architectural history, mining and landscape. The different themes can help you decide where to stay: Chapelle Sainte-Agathe and the Château des Comtes de Forcalquier represent older architectural history; the former mine yard and the Musée de la mémoire ouvrière, Mines et Mineurs de Provence point to the history of lignite. Other highlights include panoramic views over the Mane plain, plant discoveries at the Lignite Saint-Maime site and a cycling route through the commune. This helps you assess the destination according to your interest in architecture, industrial history, nature or cycling.

Chapel and Castle Ruins

Chapelle Sainte-Agathe has a barrel-vaulted nave and was probably built in the 12th century. A barrel vault is an arched ceiling that extends lengthwise over a room. The tower of the Château des Comtes de Forcalquier was also probably built in the 12th century. Only a few sections of the castle walls remain. Chapelle Sainte-Agathe and the Château des Comtes de Forcalquier were listed as historic monuments by decree dated 4 March 1998. Together, the religious architecture and surviving traces of a castle represent two different aspects of Saint-Maime’s architectural history.

Traces of Lignite Mining

The Saint-Maime mine was spread across three mining areas: Le Bois d’Asson, Le Collet Rouge and Le Puits Neuf, also known as Puits du Foulon. The former mine yard at Saint-Maime is associated with lignite extraction. The Musée de la mémoire ouvrière, Mines et Mineurs de Provence presents the mining of the Alpes de Haute-Provence lignite basin between 1874 and 1949. The names of the three mining areas give the mining history a concrete local structure; the museum’s dates set a timeframe for the history of the lignite basin. Together, the place names and regional history offer different perspectives on the subject.

The museum is accessible to visitors with reduced mobility. If this information is important for your plans, check current accessibility before your visit.

Landscape, Nature and Cycling

The grounds of Chapelle Sainte-Agathe offer excellent panoramic views over the Mane plain. Saint-Maime is also one of the communes in the Réserve naturelle Géologique du Luberon. Several hundred different plant species have been recorded at the Lignite Saint-Maime site. The area’s natural appeal thus includes a specific viewpoint, the commune’s inclusion in the Réserve and the plant discoveries at the named site.

Cycling is another way the place stands out: the Les Collines de Manosque à vélo route passes through Saint-Maime. Alongside the architectural and mining themes, it offers another focus for planning your trip. If you choose your accommodation according to your interests, you can consider this connection to the route as well as the historical and natural history themes.

Discover More Destinations

Revest-du-Bion, Bellaffaire, Peyruis, La Brillanne, Dauphin, Selonnet, Entrevaux, Faucon-De-Barcelonnette

For the overview of the wider region: Alpes-De-Haute-Provence.