Montfuron – Church, Mill and Butterfly Garden

Montfuron offers several distinct reasons to stay: architectural history, a working windmill, a butterfly garden and a marked route for short hikes. If you’re looking for a hotel in Montfuron, these themes can help you decide whether historic buildings, butterflies or a hike will influence your choice. Each place and activity has its own focus and offers different points to consider when planning your trip.

Church and Chapel: Different Historical Connections

The Église Notre-Dame-et-Saint-Elzéar is a Romanesque church dating from the 13th century. Its bell tower dates from the 17th century. These two dates refer to different parts of the church: the tower’s date is not the construction date of the entire building. If you’re interested in historic architecture, you can distinguish the older church building from the later bell tower. The Chapelle Saint Elzéar is another point of interest; it has been protected as a historic monument under a decree dated July 9, 1981. This date refers to its protected status, not to when the chapel was built. Together, the church, tower and chapel bring together different aspects of the town’s history: Romanesque architecture, a bell tower from a later period and the chapel’s formal protected status.

The Moulin Saint-Elzéar

The Moulin Saint-Elzéar was built in 1640, during the reign of Louis XIV. The windmill is still operational and can grind grain. Its historic construction date and continuing function make it a distinct point of interest alongside the church and chapel. Check its operating status and mill demonstrations again before your trip. A tourism listing updated on May 24, 2023, stated that reservations were required for a guided visit. If a guided tour is important to your trip, ask about the current arrangements in advance.

Butterflies in a Wild Shrubland

The Jardin des papillons de Montfuron is an outdoor site in a wild shrubland, near the windmill. It is dedicated to Provençal butterflies. Its collection includes more than sixty species of daytime butterflies and just as many nocturnal species; the numbers may vary depending on monitoring and seasonal conditions. The distinction by time of activity gives the garden a different character from the town’s historic buildings. Since site conditions and visiting arrangements may change seasonally, check the current conditions before visiting. If you’re especially interested in butterflies, the garden’s clearly defined focus offers a specific theme to consider when planning your trip.

A Marked Route for Short Hikes

The Moulins de Montfuron route begins and ends at the car park at the entrance to Montfuron. It is marked with yellow PR trail markers for short hikes. This gives you both a named start and end point and a specified marker colour to help with navigation. Trail markers may change due to maintenance work or local conditions. During busy periods, confirm the available parking on site. If you include the route in your plans, take both the trail markers and the parking situation at the starting point into account. The hike offers a different focus from the church, chapel and mill: it is a marked short route, while the historic sites are associated with their construction dates, functions and protected status.

Discover more destinations: Thoard, Castellane, Les Omergues, Saint-Pons, Peyruis, Sisteron, Vachères, Larche.

See the wider travel guide: Alpes-De-Haute-Provence.