Freissinières

Freissinières
Valley of Chichin
Freissinières
Location within Provence-A.-C.d'A. region  Freissinières
Coordinates: 44°45′18″N 6°32′16″E / 44.755°N 6.5378°ECoordinates: 44°45′18″N 6°32′16″E / 44.755°N 6.5378°E
Country	France
Region	Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
Department	Hautes-Alpes
Arrondissement	Briançon
Canton	L'Argentière-la-Bessée
Intercommunality	Pays des Écrins
Government
• Mayor (2008–2014)	Cyrille Drujon d'Astros
Area^1	88.21 km^2 (34.06 sq mi)
Population (2008)^2	187
• Density	2.1/km^2 (5.5/sq mi)
INSEE/Postal code	05058 / 05310
Elevation	936–3,236 m (3,071–10,617 ft) (avg. 1,190 m or 3,900 ft)
^1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries. ^2 Population without double counting: residents of multiple communes (e.g., students and military personnel) only counted once.

Freissinières is a commune in the Hautes-Alpes department in southeastern France.

Geography

Freissinières lies in a valley which is the watershed of the Biaisse, which flows into the Durance between La Roche-de-Rame and Saint-Crépin.

From east to west, it consists of an alluvial plain of about 80 hectares, bordered on the south by a forest of conifers. On the north, the terrain is arid and rocky. However, vineyards were planted there up to 1200 m.

Near the hamlet of Meyries, the valley widens to the north, with a deciduous forest. The part of the valley called la Poua, exposed to the south, was well cultivated up to the pastures near the col d'Anon.

After the hamlet of Ribes, the valley narrows along the course of the Biaisse to the bottom of the valley. Here, the soil is poor; avalanches and mudslides have covered the soil with rocks and gravel. The two little hamlets of Viollins and Mensals are situated in rare protected spots.

Then, the Biaisse cascades down to the hamlet of Dormillouse at 1727 m. There the valley divides in two, with the lakes of Faravel and Palluel. This sector is dominated by the peaks of Félix Neff (3243 m), Grand Pinier (3117 m), and Petit Pinier (3100 m), which are part of the Parc national des Écrins. South of the hamlet of Viollins, the beautiful mountain of Val-Haute, is dominated by the Tête de Vautisse (3156 m).

Population

Historical population
Year	Pop.	±%
1690	850	—
1796	688	−19.1%
1826	935	+35.9%
1876	792	−15.3%
1901	618	−22.0%
1916	591	−4.4%
1931	454	−23.2%
1962	148	−67.4%
1968	216	+45.9%
1975	199	−7.9%
1982	172	−13.6%
1990	167	−2.9%
1999	169	+1.2%
2008	187	+10.7%

See also

• Communes of the Hautes-Alpes department

References

• INSEE

External links

• Ecrins National Park official site