Les Claux hydroelectric plant and the cult of water
© EDF
High walls decorated with blind arcades, a grand nave crowned by a steeple… No, it's not a long forgotten monastery, it's a hydroelectric power plant erected at the beginning of the 20th century, to the glory of "La Fée Eléctricité"!
Built between 1929 and 1935 under the direction of engineer Gilbert Planche, the father of hydroelectricity in the Ecrins, the Les Claux plant in Pelvoux is quite simply a masterpiece of industrial architecture. The style of the time was as yet unaffected by utilitarianism, and even less so by functionalism. The construction rises up in splendid isolation at the end of the valley, resembling a religious edifice. Its exterior decoration serves in fact to conceal turbines and water pipes! The suggestive power of the architecture, in harmony with the surrounding countryside, transcends the question of technique. The architects were paying a vibrant homage to hydroelectricity, a natural, clean and renewable source of energy, a century before it became a crucial matter for the future of the planet.
In 1946, the power plant was attached to the electricity company's (EdF) Mediterranean production unit. It is still in operation. As a trustee of this exceptional heritage, the EdF pays particular attention to its upkeep and promotion. In 2006, EdF became a partner in the "rural pole of excellence" set up by local authorities in the Ecrins, with the aim of promoting its substantial hydroelectric heritage, water always having been the main source of wealth in the region. Within this framework, the Les Claux plant has been granted a renovation budget of 530,000 euros. Works will include the creation of a museum space, planned to open in 2010.
Contact us
Usine des Claux
05290 Vallouise
Les Claux hydroelectric plant will be open to the public in 2010, following completion of renovations and the creation of the museum.
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Topic : Art and cultural heritage
Published on : 2008/12/23
Tags : industrial tourism white coal hydroelectric power plant visit dams reservoirs water penstock vallouise plant claux
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