Discover Faucon-De-Barcelonnette

Faucon-De-Barcelonnette combines architectural and religious history with hiking trails that start right in the village. The Tour de l’Horloge, the Église Saint-Étienne and the Couvent des Trinitaires offer different ways to explore the village’s history; the trails pass through named landscapes and lead to specific destinations. This puts two themes at the forefront when planning your stay: heritage and hiking.

Church and Tour de l’Horloge

The Tour de l’Horloge was built in the 11th century on the foundations of an older Romanesque church and rebuilt in the 16th century. Its square structure and small round corner turrets combine a clear overall shape with rounded details at the corners. The tower is classified as a historic monument; it was classified by decree on 22 July 1913.

The Église Saint-Étienne also stands on the foundations of an earlier Romanesque church. It was rebuilt in 1872. Its apse contains a fresco depicting the Assumption of the Virgin Mary. The church is open to the public year-round; check visitor information before your trip. Access to the Tour de l’Horloge is different: it can be visited in summer as part of guided tours. Check the current summer schedule in advance.

Jean de Matha and the Couvent des Trinitaires

Saint Jean de Matha was born in Faucon-De-Barcelonnette in 1160. A statue of him stands in the square near the town hall. The Couvent des Trinitaires was founded centuries later, in the 17th century, by the successors of Saint Jean de Matha. In the village, you can therefore encounter both the memory of his birth and the later history of the community that carried on his name.

The Couvent offers a place for spiritual retreat in a two-hectare garden. This figure gives an idea of the site’s size; its spiritual focus also distinguishes it thematically from the architectural history of the clock tower and the church. If you are interested in the village’s religious history, the statue, the convent’s founding and the garden offer different aspects of the same subject.

Hiking trails and landscapes

The GR®69 La Routo passes through Faucon-De-Barcelonnette and follows in the footsteps of shepherds and their flocks. The route thus adds a distinct theme to the choice of destination: alongside the heritage, you can also explore the history of pastoral routes here. Check current trail conditions before setting out.

Numerous hiking trails start right in the village and lead, among other places, to Bouzoulières, Bonnet Vert and Soleil-Bœuf. They pass through larch forests, high-altitude pastures, orchards and scenic ridges. These named destinations and landscapes give you several points of reference if you choose to make hiking the focus of your stay. A yellow-marked hiking trail from Faucon-De-Barcelonnette is 2.7 kilometres long. For this route too, check current trail conditions before setting off.

Plan visits to suit your interests

For a visit focused on architectural history, the Tour de l’Horloge and the Église Saint-Étienne offer different periods and architectural features: from the medieval tower, rebuilt in the 16th century, to the church rebuilt in 1872. When planning your visit, note that tours of the tower take place in summer as part of guided tours; the church is open to the public year-round. This lets you plan for the seasonal guided tour and the church visit separately.

If you would rather spend time outdoors, the La Routo, which passes through the village, the trails starting in the village and the specifically named 2.7-kilometre route offer different points of reference. The information provided gives the trails’ themes, destinations, landscapes and one route length, but no standard walking time. Choose according to what interests you and check trail conditions before your hike.

Discover more destinations: Roumoules, Larche, Soleilhas, Riez, Céreste, Le Brusquet, Saint-Pons, Valernes

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