Timeline

Heritage classified

Origin and history

The cellar of the house Planche is a former wine cellar located in L'Argentière-la-Bessée, in the Hautes-Alpes. This monument is remarkable for keeping all its equipment, including a rare bench press (or press in Martin), installed on the first level. This type of press, used to extract grape juice, oil or cider, worked with a lever and counterweight system, typical of traditional methods.

Viticulture in the once prosperous Upper Durance Valley was destroyed by the phylloxera crisis in 1908. This epidemic marked the end of vine cultivation in the region, leaving behind remains like this cellar, symbol of a lost agricultural heritage. Each family then had its own press, reflecting the local importance of small-scale wine production.

Ranked as a historic monument in 1993, Planche House's cellar illustrates ancient pressing techniques. Its long barrel press, embedded in the masonry, bears witness to artisanal know-how where pressure was exerted manually or via a cabestan. Today, this private site offers a unique overview of wine practices in the Southern Alps before their decline.

The building, located at 1 Rue Saint-Michel, is fully protected, including its equipment. Its location in a mountain setting highlights the contrast between the wine heritage and the current landscape, where the vine has given way to other activities. Historical sources, such as the Merimée base, confirm its status as a preserved example of this rural heritage.

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