Discover Savournon

Savournon can be explored through its hikes, rocky landscapes and traces of history. If you’re looking for a hotel for your trip, it helps to first decide what you’d like to focus on: a challenging circular hike, viewpoints, or the history of the village and its buildings. The destinations differ both in their landscapes and in the experiences they offer.

Hiking and landscapes around Savournon

The Tour du Pic de l’Aigle is an 8.8 km, fairly difficult circular hike. It starts and ends in the Hameau de la Buissière at the Halle communale in Savournon, where the recommended parking area is also located. Along the route, marl and meadow landscapes give way to rocky terrain. The route also passes the ruins of a castle and an old church, as well as the Mini-Canyon des Eysserennes. This brings together a variety of landscapes and historical impressions in a single route. Allow for potentially steep terrain and weather-dependent conditions; trail conditions and parking availability may change. Check both before setting out.

Pic de l’Aigle overlooks the village of Savournon and is known for its panoramic views of the surrounding mountain ranges. Access is weather-dependent. Another viewpoint is the Crêtes de Revuaire: its summit is at 1,306 m, and the ridges overlook Le Bersac and Savournon. From there, views extend across the Channe Valley and surrounding mountains such as Chabre, Arambre and Aujour. Both places are worth considering if you’re interested in views, but each offers its own distinct vantage point.

The Forêt Domaniale de Beynon lies between the communes of Savournon and Saint-Genis. Its notable plant species include Alisier de Mougeot, Astragale de Montpellier, Astragale vésiculeux and Chiendent pectiné; their presence may vary by season. The Gorges du Riou connect the Forêt de Jubéo with the village of Saint-Genis. Together, these place names offer different ways to understand the surrounding landscape, without reducing it to a single viewpoint or route.

Climbing and mountain biking

Above the Jubéo car park lies Roc Taillefer, a steep, vertical limestone crag with 14 climbing routes graded from 6a to 7b. If you’re planning to climb, check the conditions and access locally. The number and grades of the routes offer a different kind of activity from the long circular hike at Pic de l’Aigle.

The Découverte autour de Savournon à VTT (N°13) mountain bike trail passes through a largely open valley landscape. It runs mostly along wide, easy farm tracks and offers a glimpse of the rural surroundings. Its described character differs from that of the fairly difficult hike: here, wide farm tracks are the focus, while the Pic de l’Aigle route is a longer circular hike through rocky terrain with historical sites along the way. In the late 1980s, thanks to the efforts of mountain biking enthusiasts, Savournon became an important starting point for the sport; the tracks in the Forêt Domaniale de Beynon near Jubéo were made accessible to cyclists.

Buildings, history and local traditions

Archaeological finds provide evidence of settlement in the Savournon area from the Neolithic period, as well as during the Bronze Age and Roman era. The two churches are also associated with different parts of the area: Saint Jacques-et-Saint Philippe stands in the hamlet of Les Barbes, and Saint Pierre in Plan du Bourg–Villelongue. Both churches date from the 19th century. For those interested in local history, they offer buildings from a later period, in addition to the ruins along the hiking route.

At Col La Croix, at an altitude of 838 m, stands the Oratoire du Col La Croix, which houses a small statue of the Virgin Mary. The panoramic views of the Massif du Dévoluy, Montagne d’Aujour and Montagne de Saint-Genis are attributed to the pass. This distinction is worth noting: the oratory is a religious structure at the pass, while the views are a feature of the pass itself. Another facet of Savournon’s history is its local sheep breed, known for its lambs.

The village festival is also part of the annual calendar: it takes place every year at Pentecost, with the date varying from year to year. If you’d like to plan your trip around it, check the date for Pentecost in the relevant year. This lets you weigh up a specific cultural event against the area’s different landscapes and activities when choosing your travel dates.

Discover more destinations: Puy-Sanières, Crots, Laye, Le Poët, Névache, La Freissinouse, Guillestre, Prunières

For the wider travel overview: Hautes-Alpes.