Discover Beaujeu: churches, hiking and Alpine views

Beaujeu brings together a village of hamlets and forests, a history of church construction, a geological feature and a range of hiking destinations. The village lies at an altitude of 888 metres. If you are looking for a hotel in Beaujeu, you can plan your trip around the excursions and topics that interest you most. The hiking destinations have different starting points: Saint-Pierre is linked to Sariège and Chastelas, while L’Escale is the starting point for Mont Blayeul.

Churches and building history

The Church of Saint-Pierre in Beaujeu and the Church of Beaujeu date from the 17th century. The changes made in 1840 are also an important part of Saint-Pierre’s history: the church was enlarged over an older chapel dedicated to Saint Bartholomew and renamed Saint-Pierre. The church was restored at the beginning of the 21st century; the work focused in particular on the wall frescoes. Looking at Saint-Pierre, several aspects can therefore be distinguished: the older chapel, the enlargement and renaming, and the later restoration.

Hamlets, forests and a geological feature

Beaujeu’s character is shaped by its location at an altitude of 888 metres and its collection of hamlets and forests. Another point of interest for travellers interested in the landscape is the Beaujeu Fold. It lies between Digne-les-Bains and Seyne and is an anticlinal, bridge-shaped fold that illustrates the deformation of the Digne nappe. Thus, alongside its history of church construction, Beaujeu also offers a tangible geological point of interest. An anticline is an upward-arching rock fold; its bridge-like shape illustrates the form of this geological structure.

Hikes starting from different hamlets

The hike to the hamlet of La Cériège is 5.6 kilometres long, with an elevation gain of 310 metres, and takes 2 hours and 15 minutes. Together, the distance, elevation gain and time provide a concrete framework for planning your day. Another route starts in Saint-Pierre de Beaujeu and leads to the summit of Chastelas. Along the way, you will find works from the “L’Art en Montagne” collection of the Musée Gassendi. This route combines the climb to the summit with artworks along the way.

From the hamlet of Saint-Pierre, you can also explore Sariège, a ruined village. The route to Mont Blayeul starts from L’Escale: from there, you can reach the mountain at an altitude of 2,170 metres. Mont Blayeul offers sweeping views of the Alpine range. The different destinations are easy to distinguish: Sariège is a ruined village, Chastelas leads to the summit, and Mont Blayeul combines the ascent with sweeping Alpine views. An abandoned communal barn was restored to turn it into a shelter for hikers.

Discover more destinations: Sainte-Tulle, Gréoux-Les-Bains, La Condamine-Châtelard, Clamensane, Saint-Jeannet, Barcelonnette, Larche, Saint-Martin-les-Eaux.

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