The label Heritage of the twentieth century - Highlight the modern architectural heritage
Protect, restore, enhance
In 1999, the Ministry of Culture and Communication launched a series of actions in favour of the architectural and urban heritage of the 20th century: protection, restoration, development.
The Patrimoine du XXe siècle label was created to implement the latter component. Intended to identify and bring to the attention of the public buildings whose architectural and urban interest justifies passing them on to future generations, this label concerns a large number of buildings and urban complexes that are of real heritage interest as witnesses to the technical, economic, social, political and cultural evolution of our society.
Without legal or financial implications, this label is awarded by the regional prefect, after examination by the regional heritage and sites commission, and is materialized by a nameplate. Today, the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region has around three hundred certified buildings, from the villa to large complexes, including a hundred historic monuments.
A "modern heritage"
The twenty or so groups certified in the Hautes-Alpes illustrate, through a wide range of programmes, the old and new uses that have been made of the mountains during the twentieth century, in particular as regards agriculture and livestock, energy with the exploitation of the hydraulic power of the "white coal", health with the use of the climatic virtues of the high alpine valleys, resort with the rise of sports practices of the mountains and the attraction of snow.
The label distinguishes projects of various types: hydroelectric power stations, forced pipe and dam, public clock, sanatoriums, Reconstruction farms, holiday cottages and winter sports station, grafting operations in extension of village, school, landscaped development and modern villages of the 1960s.
Works of unknown and quality
The label is a recognition of the quality of the architecture of these achievements, their innovative technology and their respectful insertion in a landscape of high quality. It also reflects the border character of the Hautes-Alpes: after the Vauban forts of the 17th and 18th centuries, reinforced by the Haxo forts in the 19th century, the high-altitude forts of the Maginot line and their equipment are the powerful vestiges of 20th century military techniques and belong to our recent heritage.
Received the Heritage label of XXe century:
- L'Argentière-la-Bessée: forced pipe, siphon (1909-1922)
- L'Argentière-la-Bessée: horloge des Hermes (1909-1922)
- Briançon: Bear Wood Sanatorium (1934)
- Briançon: sanatorium Rhône-Azur (1957)
- Briançon and Cervières: Gondran military cable car (1939)
- Cervières: Maginot des Aittes (1932-1937) Cervières: Reconstruction Farms (1950s)
- Espinasse, Rousset, Savines-le-Lac: Serre-Ponçon works (1955-1961)
- Monétier les Bains: La Turière residence (1980)
- Montgenèvre: Janus fortress (1931-1937)
- Montgenèvre, Cervières: Maginot du Gondran E (1933-1935)
- Orcières: chalets Les Perchoirs (1964)
- Les Orres: ski resort (1966-1970)
- Pelvoux: Claux hydroelectric power station (1929-1935)
- Saint-Bonnet en Champsaur: chalet (1955)
- Saint-Bonnet en Champsaur: subdivision of Champ Clavel (1965)
- Saint-Crépin: co-ownership of Barry (1975)
- Saint-Jacques en Valgaudemar: prototype school for the Alps (1948)
- Savines-le-Lac: whole village (1954-1962)
