Saint-André-En-Vivarais

Saint-André-en-Vivarais combines a landscape shaped by sucs, forests and streams with historic buildings and a variety of routes. This gives you practical starting points for planning your trip: you can explore the history of the parish church, visit a marked educational trail or choose between hiking and mountain biking routes.

A landscape of sucs, streams and forests

Several sucs shape Saint-André-en-Vivarais; their average elevation is 1,100 metres. The Doux marks the eastern boundary of the commune. North of the main settlement, the Effangeas stream crosses the area. You will find coniferous forests in the Bois de Montivert, the Bois des Effangeas and the Bois de Lacou. The coniferous forests of these three bois, together with the Doux and the Effangeas stream, shape the landscape of Saint-André-en-Vivarais.

The Le Château de Montivert – N°35 route also passes through fir forests and across small streams. Along the way, it offers remarkable views of the Monts du Velay and Mont Mézenc. Those interested in the landscape will get a different impression of the surroundings here than on a route focused mainly on the buildings along the way.

Historic buildings and architectural history

At Les Ruches stands the Maison de Béate, established in 1853 and considered a rare example in the Ardèche. The Saint-André parish church was built in construction phases in 1859, 1860, 1862 and 1864. Its ground plan is in the shape of a Latin cross; its architectural features also include a nave and rib vaults. The years of construction and the architectural features offer two different perspectives on the church: when it was built and how it is structured.

Another historic building is the present-day Château de Beaume, a fortified house dating from the late 15th or early 16th century. Château de Montivert has its own visiting arrangements: in 2026, the grounds are open to the public free of charge from 30 March to 3 November. Guided tours of the château are available by appointment only. Check the visitor information before your trip, especially if you are planning a guided tour.

Educational trail, farm visit and biodiversity

The Sentier Pédagogique Biodiversité, a marked one-kilometre educational trail, is located at Ferme de Brameloup. You can visit it independently; guided tours are available by reservation. The farm also offers farm visits, honey tastings and a farm shop. Check the visitor information for seasonal opening hours and the latest reservation details before planning your visit.

The Fête de l'Abeille et de la Biodiversité combines beekeeping talks and stalls with a local market, a flea market and workshops. The specific activities may vary from one edition to another. If you are interested in a particular edition, check the programme announced for it.

Hiking and cycling: routes with different profiles

The Chemin Louis Pize is a hiking trail across a hilly mid-mountain plateau. Open landscapes and far-reaching views characterise its description; in places, the trail passes through a forest. By contrast, the Circuit des Châteaux – VTT FFC N°30 NOIR focuses on a mountain biking loop and its measurements: it starts in Saint-André-en-Vivarais, is 28 kilometres long and has 658 metres of ascent. It is classified as a challenging route and runs mainly along wide, wooded tracks.

Along the way, the Circuit des Châteaux passes Château de Montivert and Château des Baumes as it winds through the forests of the high plateau. Another route, Stage 2 of the Tour de Pays VTT Ardèche Hautes Vallées, runs below Château de Montivert and then along the Chemin de la Béate. In Saint-André-en-Vivarais, this stage enters the village near the church. The route descriptions thus distinguish between a loop with stated distance and ascent figures and a stage with named waypoints.

Discover more destinations: Lachapelle Sous Aubenas, Le Roux, Orgnac L'aven, Mariac, Saint Basile, Berrias-Et-Casteljau, Vernoux-En-Vivarais, Saint-Privat.

For the wider travel guide: Ardèche.