Colmars or Colmars-les-Alpes (''Còumars'' in provençal) is a commune in the
Alpes-de-Haute-Provence
Alpes-de-Haute-Provence or sometimes abbreviated as AHP (; oc, Aups d'Auta Provença; ) is a department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region of France, bordering Alpes-Maritimes and Italy to the east, Var to the south, Vaucluse to the wes ...
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan ar ...
.
The official name of the commune, according to the geographical code of the INSEE, is "Colmars", but it is always referred locally as "Colmars-les-Alpes", even though it is not recognised in legal situations. The signs on entering the village read "Colmars-les-Alpes".
Geography
The village is situated at the confluence of the rivers
Verdon Verdon may refer to:
People
* Verdon (surname)
Places
France
* Verdon, Dordogne, in the Dordogne ''département''
* Verdon, Marne, in the Marne ''département''
* Vinon-sur-Verdon, an old French town in the département of Var, Provence-Alpes- ...
and Lance, at an altitude of 1250 metres. The site of the village is a ''site inscrit'', a site of special natural, scientific or historical interest.
Hamlets
There are two other hamlets in the commune: Clignon-Haut and Clignon-Bas.
Population
The inhabitants are called ''Colmarsiens''.
Geography
Mountains and peaks
There are numerous high points in the commune. The main ones are:
* Tête de l'Encombrette (2682m)
* Autapie (2426m)
* Roche Cline
* Valpane
History
The name of the village comes from a hill dedicated to Mars by the Romans ("Collo Marto"). The village was originally situated further up a hill, but the site was judged to be too cramped and not possible to expand any further, so it was abandoned. It was destroyed by Raymond de Turenne in 1390.
Modern era
In the French Wars of Religion, the site was the target of several attacks:
* Paulon de Mauvans, a Protestant captain, pillaged the village in 1560;
* Cartier, a captain operating on behalf of de Mauvans, took and ransomed the village in 1583;
* The French Catholic League sacked the village a few years later.
Verdon River
The Verdon (, ) is a river in Southeastern France, left tributary of the Durance. Its drainage basin is .
*
Col d'Allos
Col d'Allos (elevation ) is a high mountain pass in the Alps in the department of Alpes-de-Haute-Provence in France. It connects Barcelonnette in the Ubaye Valley and Colmars.
It lies parallel to the Col de la Cayolle and Col de la Bonette west o ...