Event
Fire of Villar-d’Arène
Period
on
November 2, 1771
Location
Villar-d'Arêne
Source
Source : Paul-Louis Rousset, Au Pays de la Meije
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Event narrative
On November 2, 1771, a terrible fire ravaged Villar-d’Arène. At the end of the the All Saints' Day mass, the fire started at the top of the village. Driven by a violent wind, it spread in fifteen minutes to the thatched houses. The church burned, and only a few pieces of furniture could be saved. In total, 72 houses were destroyed. King Louis XV sent grain, thus preventing the exodus of a significant portion of the population.