Bessas: Nature, village history and hiking trails

If you are looking for a hotel in Bessas, the area’s natural and cultural highlights can help you plan your stay. The village is situated on a hill at an altitude of 265 metres. From there, panoramic views stretch for several kilometres across the neighbouring departments of Gard and Vaucluse as far as Mont Ventoux. The natural landscape, village centre and marked hiking trails each offer a different focus; when choosing, consider which ones suit your stay.

Landscape and nature

The Marais de Malibaud is part of the area’s natural landscape. It is a continental ZNIEFF type 1, covering 1,288.99 hectares and extending across Bessas, Saint-Sauveur-de-Cruzières, Saint-Jean-de-Maruéjols-et-Avéjan and Barjac, among other places. The wetlands are home to remarkable flora and fauna, including amphibians and dragonflies. The dry grasslands are particularly rich in orchids and provide a habitat for open-country birds. The wetlands and dry grasslands thus characterise different aspects of the natural landscape.

Village church and château

In the heart of the village, the Church of Saint Etienne stands right beside the château. Inside the church is a polychrome wooden altarpiece dating from the mid-17th century. It was added to the supplementary inventory of historic monuments by prefectural decree dated 10 October 2001. The altarpiece surrounds an 18th-century painting depicting the vision of Saint Etienne. The windows are also part of the building’s more recent history: they were restored in 2017, and two new windows were added.

The château dates from the late 16th century and has four towers. Bessas’s old stone houses, renovated in keeping with their style, surround it. Together with the church, they create a village setting where the history of its architecture can be seen in tangible details: the towers, the stone houses and the church’s restoration work at different times.

Hiking trails and cycling

A marked hiking trail around Bessas starts at the château square and leads below the old cemetery to a viewpoint. The trail follows the former road to Brujas, known as the “chemin du Lac”, crosses the Condoubrie stream and returns via the new cemetery. If you plan to take this route, bear in mind that trail conditions and markings may change.

The Le Puy Lacher hiking route offers another excursion with specific planning details: it is a moderately difficult 8-kilometre circular route with 402 metres of elevation gain and a stated duration of three hours. The starting point is the information point in the car park below Bessas town hall. White-and-yellow PR trail markers indicate the route; check the wayfinding locally, as markings and trail conditions may change. The Montagne de la Serre offers several viewpoints along the hiking route.

Bessas is also a named point of reference for cycling: the village is part of the permanent route of the L’Ardéchoise event. If your trip is tied to a specific event date, check the event details separately.

Olive oil and getting there

Moulin Le Verdalet produces and sells artisan olive oil and offers a discovery tour. Check whether it is available before visiting. From Aubenas, take the D225/D202 and the Col de la Serre; the village is then 8 kilometres away. Check local traffic restrictions before setting out.

Discover more destinations: Cheminas, Ozon, Davézieux, Quintenas, Canton of Serrières, Privas, Les Ollières-Sur-Eyrieux, Saint-Clément.

For the broader travel guide: Ardèche.