Circuit N°4 - 130
kms
Le Pays de Berg
LAVILLEDIEU
:
222 m. Remains of the ancient times. Fortified city
walls with 6 towers still visible and where the
houses are incorporated in the old village. Ruins of
a former priory dating back to the 11th c. Restored
cloister. From the Jastres plateau, you have a
magnificient view of the Ardèche valley as well as
Aubenas.
"Petit Musée du Bizarre" -Popular Arts and
Traditions-. Rock climbing - Karting track. Ardèche
Beers.
LUSSAS :
270 m. Drive to the top of the "Côte de l'Echelette"
and you will savour an extensive view over the
Ardèche valley and Aubenas - on the right hand side,
you will see the ruins of an Oppidum on the northern
Jastres plateau that can be reached after a walk of
about 600 m. Heading forward you reach Lussas, a
small village located in the middle of a very
fertile plain -the village is renowned for its
festival of the documentary film "Les Etats Généraux
du film Documentaire"- Dolmen in the district of
Mias.
SAINT-LAURENT SOUS-COIRON
:
540 m. Typical village of the Coiron Volcanic
Massif. Black basalt houses. Romanesque church.
Cliff of the Louyre. Dolmen of Chante Epine.
Vertiginous view across Lussas'fertile plain and
beyond to the Ardèche Cévennes. A drive in the
middle of grasslands and woods will take you to the
Col de l'Escrinet (Escrinet Pass).
DARBRES :
450 m. Situated on the banks of the Auzon river, it
hosts a number of historic sites. 19th c Neogothic
church. Gâtima 's Basalt columns –recording the
pipes of an organ-. Boulaigue fountain, intermittent
spring. Visit of a dairy farm. The Auzon river.
SAINT-GINEYS-EN-COIRON
670 m. Troglodytic village "Balmes de Montbrun", dug
by man in volcanic rocks. Chapel in one of the
"Balmes". 10th c romanesque church
BERZEME :
730 m. It has earned is name of "capital of the
Coiron" thanks to its vast pastures. Very nice view
of the Alps and of the foothills of the Ardèche
mountains. Romanesque church with its l8th c wooden
bell. l5th c house of basalt cut stones. Castle with
circular towers
SAINT-PONS :
300 m. Small rural village hemmed in by ramparts and
overlooked by a basalt cliff. Typical arched
alleyways. Renaissance houses, Castle, Tower remains,
washhouse, "Calade" (cobbled alleys) - 11c church,
hamlet of La Roche Chérie : ruined chapel and
volcanic neck. Within wild settings, you can stroll
around Le Coiron path, basalt columns recalling the
pipes of an organ, Berzème path, Le Vernet's neck,
Chaulène oppidum dating back to the Iron Age.
Chestnut groves.
SAINT-JEAN
:
307 m. Fortified 16th c village and church. Typical
houses of black basalt and white limestone. Ruins of
a 13th c castle and a church worth visiting housing
a high altar officially listed as a historic
monument. Tourist train "VIADUC 07"
MIRABEL :
580 m. Fotified village built at the foot of a
basalt cliff and dominated by its tower, square
donjon and castle. The ruins of the city walls and
towers are still visible. A 12th c entirely
renovated church. At about 1670, an altar was added
to its chancel. It is topped by a large altarpiece
adorned with columns and a splendid painting
depicting the Stoning of St Etienne– view on 17 bell
towers Troglodytic dwellings at "la Grange de
Baumier". The "Domaine du Pradel " former home of
the most famous agronomist Olivier de Serres now
houses the school of Agriculture. Visit to the
Agricultural Estate and museum of the famous
agronomist.
VILLENEUVE-DE-BERG
:
309 m. Statue of Olivier de Serres. Birthplace of
the famous French agronomist. Ruins of the medieval
ramparts.17th c and 18th c mansions, original
ironware dating back to the 18th c-. Two beautiful
baroque altarpieces -dating back to the 17th c and
18th c- in the 13th c romanesque church of
Cistercian style
Exhibition "Antoine COURT", who reorganized
protestantism in France after the revocation of the
Edict of Nantes
SAINT-ANDéOL-DE-BERG
:
375 m. Village situated at 5 km. from
Villeneuve-de-Berg. While walking around the village
you will successively see Alba, Valvignières and the
Pre-alps, the Mont Ventoux, Viviers, the Cévennes.
Rambling facilities in oak and pine state-owned
forest.
SAINT-MAURICE-D'IBIE
:
230 m. Church with a romanesque chancel and a 12th c
closed bell tower which is worth a visit. The
Salelles Chapel, old houses, vaults, alleyways. The
Ibie valley
ROCHECOLOMBE
:
187 m. This exceptional old village clings to the
hillside and is overlooked by the ruins of a donjon
adjoining the St Barthélémy chapel and its
fenestrated bell tower in which twelve generations
of Knights rest in peace.
Sheer cliffs, full of holes, a waterfall and a
spring of Vaucluse type. 12th c Sauveplantade
Romanesque church.
SAINT-MAURICE D'ARDECHE
:
160 m. The Chamadou Lake lies in a natural setting -Trout
fishing- Visit of the old arcaded village.
Romanesque church
LANAS :
130 m. Aubenas-Vals-Lanas airfield -first flights,
sightseeing flights, aerial photos- theme park. Old
medieval village along the banks of the river
Ardèche, ruins of ramparts and fortified gates.
Numerous remains of a Benedictine convent (11th c
chapel) - Ruins of a 13th c castle. Places to see :
the houses set on the edge of the river Ardèche.
Alleys to stroll. Restored pigeon house.
VOGÜé :
150 m. Listed as one of "France's loveliest village"
and "village full of character" hemmed in by a high
cliff and the river Ardèche. Dominated by the De
Voguë family’s beautiful castle dating back to the
12th c. It took its final appearance at the end of
the 17th c. Church with a splendid baptistery.
Picturesque alleys.
