Discover Chastel-Arnaud

Chastel-Arnaud comprises three hamlets at the foot of the well-known Trois Becs range. Its preserved landscape stretches from the countryside into the mountains, covering elevations from 250 to 1,500 metres. This range provides a clear landscape context for choosing where to stay: alongside the hamlets themselves, the mountains, named trails and historic buildings shape the themes to consider when planning a visit.

Landscape and trails

The Gorges du Contècle lead to the cliffs of Saint-Moirans. This adds a specific link between gorge and rock landscape to the range of elevations. A hiking trail connects Col du Perrier with Chapelle des Sadoux. For a route with a defined duration, there is a round trip from the sign at the exit of Les Auberts hamlet to a viewpoint at Saint-Andéol: the walk takes 40 minutes. The trail descriptions offer different kinds of guidance: one names two connected destinations, while the round trip to the viewpoint also specifies the duration.

The trail “Le paysage vu par le guetteur” includes the “10 visions du paysage” landscape interpretation site. This means that interpreting the landscape is part of the trail as well as the route itself. For visitors interested in the landscape itself, the site offers a different focus from a simple route description.

Chastel-Arnaud has numerous mountain biking circuits. La Baume is a designated climbing site. There is a car park at the foot of the climbing routes, and the approach to the climbing area takes five to ten minutes. Cycling and climbing thus provide distinct options for planning a trip, alongside the hiking trails. The approach time and the car park by the routes are each specific points of reference.

Religious buildings and historic sites

The Chapel of Saint-Moirans is an 11th-century Romanesque chapel and was the church of a former priory. The Church of Saint-Pierre in Saint-Moirans is also Romanesque and was built on the remains of a Carolingian sanctuary. The two religious buildings have different historical associations: the chapel’s history includes its former role as a priory church, while the older sanctuary lies beneath the Romanesque building of Saint-Pierre.

The Chapel of Saint-André des Auberts dates from the 17th century. Its allegorical frieze depicts the cycle of the seasons and the passage of time. The building’s historical period and an image motif centred on the seasons and the passage of time thus complement each other.

The ruins of Château des Arnaud stand on Mount Saint-Andéol. The Châtaignier des Bellieux offers a different perspective on the area’s heritage: it is estimated to be 500 to 700 years old and is listed nationally as a remarkable tree. Alongside the religious buildings and castle ruins, a tree with a long estimated history is another of Chastel-Arnaud’s distinctive landmarks.

Discover more destinations: Saint-Thomas-En-Royans, Pennes-Le-Sec, Saint-Nazaire-le-Désert, Manas, Chantemerle-Lès-Grignan, Allan, Saint-Jean-En-Royans, Divajeu.

View the broader travel guide: Drôme.