Posters Page 3 of 7 How have the people of Plampinet responded to their local landscape? The Claree valley lies to the North East of Briancon. It is characterised by it's relatively gentle slopes which were caused by the passage of a glacier. This created the characteristic lateral moraine. The valley is 29Km long and has been straightened and deepened by the effects of glacial period. The valley is divided into three communes: Montgenevre, Val des Pres and Nevache. With Nevache there are approximately 250 people. At one time, there were over 1000 people living there, but numbers have greatly reduced due to the two World Wars and the increased communication with larger towns. Within the Nevache commune, there is the hamlet of Plampinet. This is a small settlement clustered in a 'D' shape, which follows the road running parallel to the Claree River in the base of the valley. By looking at the village, it is difficult to see how the people can possibly make an income. Indeed the inhabitants of Plampinet had to alter their methods in order to remain economically stable. Images around Plampinet In this region there has been much small scale movement due to it's poor economic viability. In the past, coal, gypsum, stone, graphite, copper and gold have been mined, but this did not develop into a lucrative activity due to the combination of poor quality raw materials and cheaper competition. The downfall of mining in the area was mainly due to the area's topography, making it very difficult to mine and transport efficiently. In the fifteenth century, Nevache was known for it's woollen cloth and cotton industry, which also eventually dwindled along with the bell foundry of Plampinet. Due to the altitude and poor access of Plampinet, the people has been restricted to agriculture, which has been the only activity to resist decline. Traditionally, farmers would farm the lowlands and then in the summer, would move their families and cattle higher up the mountains to their second homes, where the cattle could graze on fresh pastures (Transhumance). In the modern day, this migration process still exists, but to a lesser degree. Locals have now resorted to farming local produce which has it's own unique identity to the Nevache region. These products are goats cheese, honey, fruit and cake, which sell quite well due to their unique background. Some locals chose to set up a hostel for tourists. Visitors are far and few between, but when they do come they are attracted towards such activities as walking, climbing, mountain biking and cross country skiing in the winter. The level of tourism is not great enough for residents to make a living from. Roger Petrucci  | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | Page 3 of 7