It is a small Provençal village with narrow, winding streets which backs on to a hill. The Durance flows away below a plateau which grows mainly cereals and apples and also supports some livestock.
Origin of the name
The most common theory is that name comes from the Latin Vallis Mellis which is translated as valley of honey. Charles Rostaing suggested that the name sounds like a word for mountain and so this might be its origin. Ernest Nègre proposed that the name is composed of Latin 'vallem' and the Roman name 'Maelius'.
History
The village was mentioned, as 'Vaumel', for the first time in charters dated 1171. It was occupied by Protestants at the end of the French Wars of Religion. A 'patriotic society' was created in the spring of 1792, which was one of 21 in the department of Alpes-de-Haute-Provence to debate political matters.
Chart of the population of Vaumeilh since 1765 Colors = id:grisclair value:gray id:grisfonce value:gray id:couleurcourbe value:rgb ImageSize = width:802 height:232 PlotArea = left:42 right:10 top:1 bottom:20 TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal AlignBars = justify DateFormat = yyyy Period = from:1760 till:2010 ScaleMajor = unit:year increment:10 start:1760 BarData = bar:8 text: bar:7 text:600 bar:6 text: bar:5 text:400 bar:4 text: bar:3 text:200 bar:2 text: bar:1 text:0 PlotData = color:grisclair width:0.5 # repères et légende axe vertical bar:8 color:white from:start till:end bar:7 color:grisfonce from:start till:end bar:6 from:start till:end bar:5 color:grisfonce from:start till:end bar:4 from:start till:end bar:3 color:grisfonce from:start till:end bar:2 from:start till:end bar:1 color:grisfonce from:start till:end LineData = layer:front color:couleurcourbe width:1 # courbe de population points: # 1765: 564 h. à 1793: 609 h. points: # 1793: 609 h. à 1800: 563 h. points: # 1800: 563 h. à 1806: 625 h. points: # 1806: 625 h. à 1821: 461 h. points: # 1821: 461 h. à 1831: 480 h. points: # 1831: 480 h. à 1836: 550 h. points: # 1836: 550 h. à 1841: 540 h. points: # 1841: 540 h. à 1846: 567 h. points: # 1846: 567 h. à 1851: 553 h. points: # 1851: 553 h. à 1856: 554 h. points: # 1856: 554 h. à 1861: 530 h. points: # 1861: 530 h. à 1866: 493 h. points: # 1866: 493 h. à 1872: 522 h. points: # 1872: 522 h. à 1876: 513 h. points: # 1876: 513 h. à 1881: 517 h. points: # 1881: 517 h. à 1886: 477 h. points: # 1886: 477 h. à 1891: 441 h. points: # 1891: 441 h. à 1896: 375 h. points: # 1896: 375 h. à 1901: 345 h. points: # 1901: 345 h. à 1906: 320 h. points: # 1906: 320 h. à 1911: 309 h. points: # 1911: 309 h. à 1921: 278 h. points: # 1921: 278 h. à 1926: 282 h. points: # 1926: 282 h. à 1931: 249 h. points: # 1931: 249 h. à 1936: 220 h. points: # 1936: 220 h. à 1946: 198 h. points: # 1946: 198 h. à 1954: 196 h. points: # 1954: 196 h. à 1962: 170 h. points: # 1962: 170 h. à 1968: 159 h. points: # 1968: 159 h. à 1975: 152 h. points: # 1975: 152 h. à 1982: 159 h. points: # 1982: 159 h. à 1990: 170 h. points: # 1990: 170 h. à 1999: 197 h. points: # 1999: 197 h. à 2006: 283 h. color:black width:3 # points de population points: # 1765: 564 h. points: # 1793: 609 h. points: # 1800: 563 h. points: # 1806: 625 h. points: # 1821: 461 h. points: # 1831: 480 h. points: # 1836: 550 h. points: # 1841: 540 h. points: # 1846: 567 h. points: # 1851: 553 h. points: # 1856: 554 h. points: # 1861: 530 h. points: # 1866: 493 h. points: # 1872: 522 h. points: # 1876: 513 h. points: # 1881: 517 h. points: # 1886: 477 h. points: # 1891: 441 h. points: # 1896: 375 h. points: # 1901: 345 h. points: # 1906: 320 h. points: # 1911: 309 h. points: # 1921: 278 h. points: # 1926: 282 h. points: # 1931: 249 h. points: # 1936: 220 h. points: # 1946: 198 h. points: # 1954: 196 h. points: # 1962: 170 h. points: # 1968: 159 h. points: # 1975: 152 h. points: # 1982: 159 h. points: # 1990: 170 h. points: # 1999: 197 h. points: # 2006: 283 h.
échelle de temps: le graphe commence à 1760 = 42 px, ensuite chaque année fait 3 px jusqu'à 2010 = 42+3x250 = 792 px
échelle de population: le graphe va de 20px à 229px, donc 0 hab. = 20px et 1 habitant fait 209/700 = 0.298571 pixel
et donc l'ordonnée des points est y = 20 + nb x 0.298571
Courbe réalisée avec l'aide du modèle
The inhabitants are called Vaumeilhois.
Sights
A priory, Notre-Dame de Chane, existed in 1210, and depended on the monastery in Aniane. It fell in ruins in 1469, was given to the Church of Gap, which rebuilt it with mainly agricultural objectives around a triple court between the end of the 17th century and the French Revolution. A dovecote which is the oldest in the department dating from the 15th or 16th centuries was built almost entirely out of large boulders.
The chapel of Saint Marcellin, below the village, was built around 1770
There is a monument to the fourteen dead of the First World War
A tower remains from an ancient feudal manor that was destroyed during the French Revolution
The town square was enlarged adding a children's play area and a "kiosk". This was formally opened 10 July 2010.
The "sentier des Contes" starting from Fombeton Bridge is part of the "Trail of Talking Rocks". A special booklet available from tourist offices when pressed to the right rock will trigger an electronic story about the location.
The airfield midway between Vaumeilh and Thèze is well known for the sport of gliding and attracts many visitors each year for flights and for its restaurant
