Discover Authon

Authon lies at the foot of the Massif des Monges and on the Route du Temps in the UNESCO Géoparc de Haute-Provence. Today, the village is a starting point for hikes, themed trails and land art. This offers different focuses when planning your trip: an outing in the mountain landscape, a mountain biking circuit, or art and cultural history. The following routes and places offer concrete ways to explore these interests.

Hiking and routes in Authon

The Tour de la Chapelle Sainte-Marthe (No. 8) gives hikers a first impression of the Massif des Monges. This includes montane and Provençal vegetation, as well as views of the surrounding peaks. If both the plant life and the views of the peaks matter to you on a hike, this route brings together both aspects of the landscape.

The route to Grotte Saint-Vincent starts and ends in the car park in front of the Gîte des Monges in Authon. Authon is listed as the start and finish of the mountain biking circuit; for the route to the grotto, the car park is the specific reference point for the start and return. The two routes therefore differ not only in activity, but also in how precisely their starting points are specified.

Mountain biking to Col de Fontbelle

The Col de Fontbelle mountain biking route (No. 19) is a moderately difficult 11.4 km circuit that starts and ends in Authon. From Authon, it leads to Col de Fontbelle; the descent then follows a singletrack trail all the way through forests and along winding paths. The circuit format, distance and difficulty describe different aspects of the same route: the circuit format indicates the nature of the route, 11.4 km is its distance, and “moderate” is its rating. The climb to the pass followed by the descent adds the specific route sequence to these key details. Route information on distance and access may change; check these details before setting out.

Land art and cultural history

La Sentinelle d’Authon is part of the artwork Refuge d’art, an almost 150 km-long land art trail through the Géoparc de Haute-Provence. The trail was conceived and created by Andy Goldsworthy, a British artist and a leading figure in land art. This means that Authon is home not only to a single installation, but also to an art trail that runs through the Géoparc. The Route du Temps is another named connection between Authon and the UNESCO Geopark.

The Chapelle Sainte-Marthe offers a different cultural and historical focus. Stillborn children who had not received the sacraments were brought into the chapel. Through the priest’s ritual words, they were meant to return to life briefly so they could be baptised. The Chapelle Sainte-Marthe is also a religious “sanctuary of delay” and was associated with numerous miracles.

Transhumance is also part of Authon’s historical perspective: the village was a stopping point on the routes from Sisteron or Thoard. This connection adds another local history to that of the chapel, one concerned with earlier routes and the village’s role as a stopping point.

Getting to the Crête de Pierre-Mont route

The Crête de Pierre-Mont route can be reached from Sisteron via the D951 towards La Motte-du-Caire, then via the D3 to Authon. This sequence of roads offers specific directions for getting to the route.

Discover more destinations: Le Vernet, Montagnac-Montpezat, Sainte-Croix-De-Verdon, Oraison, Sainte-Tulle, Lurs, Lardiers, Saint-Jean

For the broader travel overview: Alpes-De-Haute-Provence.