The Halle d'Abriès is located in the town of Abriès-Ristolas, in the Hautes-Alpes, 30 km north-east of Guillestre.
It was built at the end of the 16th century and put into service in 1609 (the date is inscribed on the door).
It symbolizes the prosperity of the village of Abriès (which will merge much later with that of Ristolas), because of its large herds of sheep.
As early as the 13th century, a weekly market had also been created in the locality to compete with that of Luzerne, on the other side of the border, then in Savoy (today in Italy). The breeders practiced transhumance and the entire local economy was based on this activity: it is to develop the trade in ewes, lambs and wool that the halls were built…
Over time, however, cattle breeding and cheese production have developed. The hall has lost its usefulness.
In the 20th century, although protected as historical monuments, the building was partly dismantled to fit out a town hall, the post office and finally the tourist office.
What remains of the hall nevertheless reflects the beautiful prosperity of yesteryear, when the village had some 2,000 inhabitants (there are only a few hundred now).
This testimony to the history of Queyras therefore deserves a glance in a small mountain town with unspoiled character. Information on +33 4 92 46 71 03.
