La Motte-de-Galaure: Sainte-Agnès Church and the Galaure

La Motte-de-Galaure offers three distinct points of interest to help you plan your trip: the history of Sainte-Agnès Church, the La rivière des galets hike along the Galaure, and the Les collines de la Galaure cycling route. These cultural and landscape themes can help you get a sense of the area and decide which activity suits your stay.

History and visiting Sainte-Agnès Church

In the 12th century, Sainte-Agnès Church was a priory dependent on Tournus Abbey. The church has been protected as a historic monument since December 13, 1982. These two dates refer to different historical contexts: the 12th century marks its dependency as a priory, while 1982 marks the church's protected status.

Individual visits at the site are available year-round and are free of charge; guided tours are available on request. If a guided tour is important to you, request one in advance and check the visitor information before your trip.

Walking along the Galaure

The La rivière des galets hike follows the Galaure through woodland and returns over the hill, with views of La Motte-de-Galaure. The stated access point for the hike is the village center near the roundabout by the town hall. Check this access information before your trip. The return leg adds views of the village to the river and woodland section.

The Galaure as a river landscape

The Galaure shapes not only the route description but also a dynamic river landscape. In the area around the commune, its gradient drops steeply, so the riverbed is less constrained by the terrain. Erosion and the deposition of material cause the riverbed to shift over time. These movements shape floodplains and support great ecological diversity. The gradient, changing river course, and floodplain can therefore be understood as interconnected features of the Galaure.

Cycling on Les collines de la Galaure

Les collines de la Galaure is a marked, 40.03-kilometer circular cycling route. It crosses the Galaure valley; La Motte-de-Galaure and the Saint-Agnès Priory are named as places to stop for a break. The route offers views of the hills of Drôme, as well as the Pilat, Ardèche, and Vercors.

The distinction between the two routes is clear in terms of activity: La rivière des galets is a hike, while Les collines de la Galaure is a marked, 40.03-kilometer cycling loop. The viewpoints also differ: the return leg of the hike offers a view of La Motte-de-Galaure, while the cycling route offers views of the hills of Drôme, the Pilat, Ardèche, and Vercors. You can weigh up whether you prefer a hike with views of the village or a cycling loop with the named landscape views.

Discover more destinations: Mirabel-et-Blacons, Chamaloc, Montélimar, Saint-Pantaléon-Les-Vignes, Saint-Julien-En-Quint, Barnave, Saint-Barthélemy-De-Vals, Beaumont-Monteux

For the regional travel overview: Drôme.