Geyssans: Church, Views and Hiking Trails

Geyssans can be explored through specific places and landscape features. The Romanesque Église Saint-Ange is in the hamlet of Saint-Ange within the commune; there is also an educational landscape interpretation site within the commune at Col de Tournu. Other features include a bell tower on the hillside, the Croix de Gruyère pass and hiking trails through forests. When choosing a destination, you can therefore consider architecture, history, views and connections with nature side by side—different reasons to consider Geyssans as a travel destination.

Romanesque Church and Far-Reaching Views

Église Saint-Ange is a Romanesque church in the hamlet of Saint-Ange within the commune of Geyssans. Its location offers an exceptional 360-degree view: of the foothills and mountains of the Vercors, the mountains of the Massif Central, Gerbier des Joncs and Mont Mézenc. The panorama also includes the Rhône Valley with Mont-Pilat and the Isère Valley. At this point, a clearly defined architectural style meets a panoramic view encompassing several mountain and valley areas. If you want your choice of destination to combine culture and scenery, the church offers a specific point of interest.

Local History and Churches

The present-day commune of Geyssans comprises the former parishes and seigneuries of Geyssans and Saint-Ange, which were not united until the last third of the 18th century. This local history gives the name Saint-Ange a historical connection in addition to its meaning as the name of a present-day hamlet. The church in Geyssans, dedicated to Saint Martin of Tours, was built in 1895. The construction date provides a specific point of reference; the unification of the former entities belongs to a considerably earlier period.

Landscape and Viewpoints

Geyssans's natural areas include forests, hillside vegetation and waterways. The landscape extends beyond individual viewpoints to encompass different natural features of the commune. The Saint-Martin bell tower is on the hillside and offers a wide view over the Savasse Valley. The Croix de Gruyère pass is 2 km outside Geyssans in the direction of Reculais; from there, the view reaches the Vercors Plateau and the Monts du Matin. Together, these named viewpoints offer different perspectives: the Savasse Valley from the bell tower, the Vercors Plateau and Monts du Matin from the pass, and a broader mountain and valley panorama from the site of Église Saint-Ange.

Hiking Trails and Landscape Interpretation

Geyssans is a starting point for hiking trails through the forests to Les Thivolets. This information identifies a starting point, a landscape type and a destination, providing a specific reference for travellers who consider hiking when choosing where to go. An educational landscape interpretation site is located within the commune at Col de Tournu. While the hiking trails focus on the route through the forests to Les Thivolets, Col de Tournu is another point of interest focused on landscape interpretation. These two themes complement the viewpoints with different perspectives on the surrounding area.

Roads and Getting Around

Two road details are particularly useful for getting to Geyssans. The RD 517 is a minor, winding road that runs before, through and beyond Geyssans and provides access to the village; heading north, it leads to Reculais. The more heavily used RD 52 runs along the Savasse and provides access to Geyssans. In 2017, 1,743 vehicles were counted on this road each day. The details describe different points of reference: for the RD 517, the route through the village and the direction of Reculais; for the RD 52, its connection to the Savasse and a specific traffic figure for 2017.

Discover more destinations: Beaumont-En-Diois, Allex, Chatuzange-Le-Goubet, Bourg-Lès-Valence, Beauregard-Baret, Puygiron, Condorcet, Venterol.

For the regional travel overview: Drôme.