Site occupancy 4000-750 av. J.-C. (≈ 2375 av. J.-C.)
Period of residence of the Palafit villages.
1911
Historical monuments
Historical monuments 1911 (≈ 1911)
First official protection of the site.
27 juin 2011
UNESCO registration
UNESCO registration 27 juin 2011 (≈ 2011)
World Heritage of Humanity.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Key figures
Information non disponible - No character cited
The source text does not mention any individuals.
Origin and history
The Palafitte villages of Lake Chalain, located on the west shore of the lake in the Jura Massif, are among 111 prehistoric Palafittic sites classified as UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The site extends between the communes of Fontenu, Marigny and Doucier, in Burgundy-Franche-Comté. These remains, remarkably preserved by lake sediments, include wooden objects, fabrics, leather and pottery, as well as tools and weapons dating from human occupation.
The lake town was inhabited between 4000 and 750 BC, covering Neolithic and Bronze Age. The excavations revealed a 9.35-metre canoe carved into an oak trunk, preserved in the lake marnes. These discoveries are now on display at the Jura Archaeology Museum in Lons-le-Saunier, alongside the remains of the Grand Lac de Clairvaux, located 20 km southwest.
The site, not accessible to the public, has been protected since 1911 by a classification to historical monuments, completed in 1992. He was also listed as a World Heritage Site in 2011. These measures are intended to preserve the unique traces of these prehistoric lake habitats, which bear witness to the lifestyles and craft techniques of the time.
