Discover Banon: village history, culture and cheese

Banon combines a historic hilltop village, religious buildings, a seasonal cultural program and recurring events. When planning your stay, you can match these local and cultural highlights with the dates of the Fête du Fromage and the Rando VTT du Fromage.

Old village and historic buildings

The old village of Banon retains its character as a hilltop village on a high promontory, protected behind its fortification walls. Its elevated position and walls together shape the village's appearance. For travelers interested in historically distinctive villages, this combination is a highlight in its own right, alongside the individual buildings.

Banon's main pedestrian entrance passes through a gate with machicolations dating from the 14th century. The former feudal gate was listed by decree on October 26, 1927. The Notre-Dame-des-Anges Chapel dates back at least to the 13th century and can be reached on foot via a good path.

Culture at the Église-Haute and Le Bleuet

Since 2005, the deconsecrated Église-Haute has hosted art exhibitions, theater performances and concerts from April to October. If you want to attend a particular performance, plan around this season and check the exact date before traveling. Each year, more than 20,000 visitors enjoy the Église-Haute's distinctive acoustics as part of the cultural program.

Le Bleuet's cultural venue hosts more than 60 cultural events per year. At the Le Bleuet bookshop, visitors can browse 120,000 books across four floors. The events program and the book collection thus offer different ways to engage with local culture.

Cheese and tastings

The Fromagerie de Banon has been in operation since 1958 and produces “Banon” cheese, which has a protected designation of origin, as well as a wide selection of fresh and aged goat cheeses. The Chocolaterie de Banon offers a free, guided tasting year-round. The Fromagerie and the Chocolaterie therefore offer distinct culinary experiences: the former its cheese and product range, the latter its tasting.

Festivals, cycling and getting there

The Fête du Fromage takes place every year on the third Sunday in May and has been held in Banon since 1993. The Rando VTT du Fromage takes place on the last Sunday in September; its routes cater to families, beginners, experienced riders and elite mountain bikers.

The two dates mark different seasonal highlights: the cheese festival takes place in May, and the mountain biking event in September. If you are traveling for either event, plan your stay around the relevant Sunday and check the date before booking.

Banon can be reached from Forcalquier via the D950, and from Manosque via the D5 and D105.

Discover more destinations: Saint-Vincent-sur-Jabron, Clamensane, Aubignosc, La Javie, Riez, La Brillanne, Barrême, Montfuron.

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