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Origin and history

The ordinary stone grain measure of Mont-Dauphin is a vestige of 18th century agricultural public infrastructure, typical of alpine strongholds. Built under the Old Regime, it was used to standardize commercial grain transactions, ensuring fair trade in this mountainous region where agriculture was vital. In modern times, ordinary measures were imposed by lords or local communities to control weights and avoid fraud.

Mont-Dauphin, founded by Vauban in 1692 as a strategic stronghold, housed a civilian and military population requiring economic regulation tools. These arrangements reflected the social and fiscal organisation of Provence-Alpes, where grains were a major resource. No major transformations are documented for this measure, but its location at the corner of Catinat and Colonel-Cabrié streets suggests sustainable integration into the urban fabric.

Common measures, often made of stone to withstand the weather, were placed in accessible places, such as marketplaces or junctions, to facilitate their public use. The French Revolution abolished the banal rights in 1789, but many devices such as Mont-Dauphin's were preserved by habit or utility. In the 19th century, industrialization and metrological progress made these tools obsolete, although some remained as heritage evidence.

Their preservation illustrates the attachment to local traditions in rural areas. In 1944, this banal measure became part of the historical monuments of the Hautes-Alpes. It recalls the importance of collective practices in Alpine agri-food history and attracts visitors interested in ethnology or utilitarian architecture.

Its state of conservation makes it a rare example of this type of work in the region.

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