La Piarre: Hiking and Village History

If you are looking for a hotel in La Piarre, you can get to know the village through its hiking trails and local history. Two circular walks start at different points; you can also discover five washhouses, from the village to the hamlet of Château. Other points of interest include the history of comet discoverer Jean-Louis Pons and ecological inventory areas that include La Piarre. This gives you several specific themes to guide your travel planning: a hike, traces of the village’s history, or connections to nature and the landscape.

Circular walks with different starting points

The Serre du Charron circular walk (No. 4) starts and ends at the bridge before the hamlet of Château in La Piarre and reaches a ridge at an elevation of 1,357 metres. Le Duffre (No. 3) starts and ends at the Col d’Arron in La Piarre. These starting points are what distinguish the two circular walks; the ridge elevation is an additional topographical feature of the Serre du Charron route. Check trail conditions before setting off.

Washhouses and local history

The five washhouses, known in French as lavoirs, can be discovered from the village to the hamlet of Château. They are associated with the village’s once-thriving agriculture and successful silver mining. You can explore several washhouses between the village and the hamlet while also discovering two aspects of La Piarre’s past: agriculture and mining.

Jean-Louis Pons was born in La Piarre in 1761 and discovered a total of 37 comets over the course of his career. His connection to the village differs from that of the lavoirs: here, the focus is on a personal biography linked to comet discovery.

Landscape and ecological inventory areas

Since the Parc naturel régional des Baronnies provençales was established, La Piarre has been within its boundaries. La Piarre is also part of two Type I continental ecological inventory zones, known as ZNIEFF. One is called “Rocher d’Agnielle – Crête Saint-Michel – Chabespan.” Its landscapes include rugged limestone slabs and ridges, dry grassland, and heat-loving scree slopes. Seven animal species requiring particular protection have been recorded in this zone.

The second zone is named “Corniches du Duffre et de la Montagne de l’Aup – Versant sud des montagnes de Dindaret et de Peyre Grosse – Serre Embouc.” Its habitats include dry meadows, ridge grassland, stony grassland, calcareous scree slopes, and small rocky habitats. The inventories were updated in 2020, and the related document was produced in 2021. The two zones therefore offer different ecological points of reference for the landscape around La Piarre.

Cycling over the Col de Carabès

The Tour du Duffre cycling loop (No. 3) passes through La Piarre and then crosses the Col de Carabès. The pass is at an elevation of 1,261 metres and connects the upper Drôme valley and Valdrôme with the Buëch valley. It is a crossing for bicycles, motorcycles, and cars, making the pass a useful landmark for travellers using different modes of transport. Check road conditions before setting off, as they can change seasonally.

Discover more destinations: Névache, La Grave, La Bâtie-Neuve, Saint-André-Dʼembrun, Serres, Saint-Crépin, Saint-Apollinaire, Dévoluy

For the regional travel overview: Hautes-Alpes.