Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The archaeological site of Brandes, located at an altitude of 1,800 metres near the Alpe d'Huez in the Massif des Grandes Rousses (Isère), is a medieval mining village operated between the 12th and 14th centuries. The man extracted the silver galena, a key resource for the Vienna dolphins, until the site was abandoned in 1330 after the flood of the galleries. Ranked a historic monument in 1995, it is a testament to technological innovations such as refilled slices and schlitting paths, revealed by continuous excavations since 1977.

The village included a castle, a parish church with cemetery, about 80 houses, and industrial districts dedicated to extraction, crushing, grinding and washing of ore. This medieval coron, unique in Europe by its state of conservation, was also used to finance projects such as the collegiate Saint-André de Grenoble (1228), sponsored by André Dauphin de Bourgogne. An oratory was erected at the end of the 19th century on the remains of the church.

The operation extended from Gua (Sarenne Valley) to Lake Blanc, with sophisticated hydraulic facilities for processing ore. The site, which is freely accessible to the public, offers guided tours organised by the municipality of Huez. The CNRS's research has highlighted an advanced mastery of mining and hydraulic techniques, as well as an ancient fort protecting a Roman way, although this earlier occupation remains less documented.

The excavations revealed traces of copper mining from the Bronze Age, although this information is considered doubtful by the sources. The site, owned by the commune, is protected by several classification decrees (1993, 1995, 2014) covering ruins, galleries, and industrial installations. His in-depth study resulted in scientific publications, including Brandes-en-Oisans. The silver mine of the Dauphins (1994) and the so curious history of the Brandes mines (2015).

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