Thorame-Haute

History

The name Thorame is believed to derive from the Latin Turris Amena, meaning "pleasant tower" or more broadly, "pleasant place." This likely reflects both the Roman administrative presence in the area and the site's favourable geographical features, including its east–west oriented valley, exposure to sunlight, and fertile land. The Latin term turris did not solely refer to a tower in the modern sense, but more generally to a built-up or fortified place capable of serving various administrative or strategic functions. Over time, the name evolved into Toramena or Thoramena, and on several 17th-century maps, it appears as Thoramenes. The current form, Thorame, is considered a modern adaptation into French. There is also a feminine variant of the name. The name Eturamina is often associated with the Roman period and is believed to refer to the territory that later became the two Thorame communes. During the Gallo-Roman era, the village held a notable position within the administrative hierarchy, reportedly having the status of a civitas, similar to other regional centres such as Glandevès (Entrevaux), Senensis (Senez), and Dinia (Digne-les-Bains). Eturamina was among the earliest episcopal sees in Haute-Provence in the 4th century, before the bishopric was transferred to Senez. A Roman tegula (roof tile) engraved with Latin inscriptions was discovered during drainage works in the 19th century and is now preserved at the Musée des Antiquités Nationales in Saint-Germain-en-Laye. The name of Bishop Sévérianus is associated with Eturamina; he is recorded in several church councils, indicating the religious importance of the site during Late Antiquity. It is highly probable that the location was chosen as part of an early Christian effort to evangelise the populations of…

Most-observed species

• Eurasian Griffon

  Gyps fulvus (Hablizl, 1783) · Aves
  247
• Common Chaffinch

  Fringilla coelebs Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  231
• Marbled White

  Melanargia galathea Linnaeus, 1758 · Insecta
  207
• Common wall lizard

  Podarcis muralis (Laurenti, 1768) · Squamata
  184
• Stinking Hellebore

  Helleborus foetidus L. · Magnoliopsida
  182
• Coal Tit

  Periparus ater (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  170
• Alpine Saddle-backed Bush-cricket

  Ephippiger terrestris Yersin, 1854 · Insecta
  165
• European Robin

  Erithacus rubecula (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  147

Most recent

• M 2.5 — 2025-03-20
  1 km WSW of Cantaron, France
• M 3.1 — 2025-03-18
  1 km ESE of Tourrette-Levens, France
• M 3.3 — 2025-03-18
  2 km N of Berre-les-Alpes, France
• M 3.9 — 2024-12-09
  8 km WNW of Acceglio, Italy
• M 4.1 — 2023-11-21
  10 km WSW of Acceglio, Italy
• M 4.1 — 2023-05-16
  16 km W of Pleyne, Italy