A not-to-be-missed stage of Napoleon’s journey, Digne-les-Bains marks the
boundary between Provence and the Alps. Situated at the junction of three
valleys, the spa town is a good departure point for relaxing and exploring
Haute-Provence. A chance to go back in time with a visit to the Geological
Reserve, to follow in the footsteps of the writer Jean Giono in the
Forcalquier area or to wander through the heart of the Verdon Regional Natural
Park.
Taught decorative art by his father Paul, Etienne Martin found at Digne
and its surrounding area a repertory of very different subjects. In his work,
this supporter of the félibre Frédéric Mistral expressed his attachment for
the Provencal identity. An ecologist ahead of time, he wanted to defend nature
and traditions in the face of the growth of industrialisation. This rural and
‘eternal’ Provence is a subject dear to naturalists.
Children of the region, Honnorat, a Digne native, was passionate about
Sisteron and Jean Caire for the Ubaye Valley. They all painted in a resolutely
classical style at a time when modernity had more and more followers.
