Bellegarde: River Landscapes, Chapels and Trails

Bellegarde can be understood through its location on the Asse, its historic chapels and its hiking trails. For those looking for hotels in Bellegarde, these features provide a clear picture of the themes that shape a stay in the hamlet.

Riverbank, slope and ravine

Bellegarde lies on the right bank of the Asse and on the first slopes of a hillside facing southeast. The Ribiés Ravine runs through the centre. Together, these features provide three clear points of reference: the riverbank, the direction of the slope and the watercourse through the middle of the hamlet. They describe different aspects of the landscape and help you appreciate Bellegarde from more than one perspective.

Chapels and historic routes

The Chapelle Notre-Dame de Liesse lies between the river and the road to the hamlet of Bellegarde d’Estoublon. Its location is also linked to an earlier route: before the bridge over the Asse was built in the 17th century, the chapel stood on the main route to Estoublon, Bras d’Asse, Castellane and the Verdon region. The chapel’s history therefore includes not only its religious significance but also its role along this historic route.

The Chapelle Saint-Joseph offers another glimpse into the history of the area. It is the only chapel in Bellegarde mentioned in 19th-century pastoral visitations. In 1860, 1866, 1872 and 1891, it was described as a rural chapel in good condition. Records for 1899 state that Mass was celebrated there only on the saint’s feast day. The descriptions of its condition and the note about Mass relate to different aspects of its past: its physical state in earlier years and its limited religious use in 1899. On current maps, the chapel is shown in good condition.

Hikes with different highlights

A family hike runs from Bras-d’Asse along the Asse to the hamlet of Bellegarde, passing through Les Orésonnis. The route focuses on the course of the river and the destination in the hamlet. Near Bellegarde, the Sentiers des Oliviers trail passes through olive groves to a butterfly garden and an orientation table overlooking the Asse Valley.

The two routes have different highlights: on one hike, you follow the Asse to Bellegarde; on the other, the focus is on olive groves, the butterfly garden and valley views. Choose whichever appeals to you more: following the river or taking a route featuring these landscape and garden highlights.

Olive oil mill and honey in Estoublon

In Estoublon, Le Vieux Moulin offers tours of an old olive oil mill and tastings of olive oil from Haute-Provence. Le Vieux Moulin also presents olive oil, essential oils and dried flowers. Its offerings thus combine the mill and tastings with a selection of different products.

Les Ruchers de la Bastide Blanche focuses on aromatic honeys, offering tastings, tours and activities. This also includes observing, listening to and smelling a live beehive. The offerings are quite distinct: Le Vieux Moulin is about the old olive oil mill and olive oil, while Les Ruchers is about honey and the sensory experience of a beehive. Together, they complement the landscape and chapel themes with two unique ways to discover Estoublon.

Discover more destinations: Seyne, Simiane-La-Rotonde, Curel, Le Fugeret, Valensole, Turriers, Chabrières, Valernes

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