Queyras is said to take its name from the Gaulish tribe of the Quariates - those of the cauldron in old Celtic - who inhabited the western Alps and were integrated into the kingdom of Cottius. Remains found in Saint-Véran (photo) have been dated to 1,500 years BC, testifying to a sedentary settlement before the Roman conquest. Recent excavations have revealed the activity of a copper mine established on the territory of Saint-Véran in Roman times. Like all the Alpine valleys, Queyras has, over the centuries, also served as a passageway for many invasions.