Photo : Arnaud04 / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Les Robines du Liman
The Robines du Liman are a group of hills of black marl sculpted by erosion, a few kilometres from Digne-les-Bains, in the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence. They are among the great natural sites of the département. Marls are clay-limestone sediments, blackened by the presence of pyrite, an iron sulphide.
Their loose, crumbly material lets itself be moulded into soft shapes that compose strange landscapes. When the ground is soaked, the reflections of light on these dark tints produce strong contrasts. The relief therefore changes with the weather and the season.
The area lies within the territory of the Haute-Provence geopark, and the Haute-Provence Geological Nature Reserve, created in 1984, protects the region's geological heritage: it covers more than 269,000 hectares spread over 18 sites in the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence and the Var. People come for hiking or geological discovery. Marl slopes become slippery and muddy after rain: good shoes are recommended, and the Digne tourist office can advise on routes.
