Ponet-Et-Saint-Auban: Heritage and Hiking Trails

Ponet-Et-Saint-Auban is located in the Parc naturel régional du Vercors, in the Izarette Valley near Die. The village lies at the foot of wooded marl slopes; Ponet is situated on a spur of Montagne de Desse. Specific points of interest for your trip include the Temple de Ponet, the Bassin à chanvre and several hiking trails. The landscape, architectural history and crafts are complemented by routes with varying details on duration and elevation gain. You can tailor your stay depending on which of these aspects interests you.

Heritage and Crafts

The Temple de Ponet is a restored former chapel belonging to the local lord, dating from the 12th century; inside are 18th-century frescoes. The temple is also part of the Sentier huguenot, a 1,200-kilometre long-distance hiking trail that runs all the way to Germany. The frescoes add a later historical layer to the building’s history, while the long-distance trail broadens the view far beyond Ponet. The building’s former function and its place on an extensive hiking route thus sit side by side.

The Bassin à chanvre offers a glimpse of a different subject: the basin dates from the 19th century and was used to prepare hemp fibres for rope-making by soaking them. Its function makes a specific craft-processing step easy to understand. The grounds of the Bassin à chanvre are easily accessible; check local conditions before your visit.

Hikes by Time and Landscape

The Pierre Plate et Ramiat circular hike is of moderate difficulty, covers 15.1 kilometres and takes about 4 hours 30 minutes. It starts and finishes in Ponet-Saint-Auban. The hike explores the valley of the vineyards, with its vineyards, meadows and forests. It combines a clearly stated distance and duration with a landscape of vineyards, meadows and woodland.

For a significantly shorter time, the La vallée des vignes hike is listed as taking 50 minutes; it also has approximately 90 metres of ascent and descent. This is a different time frame from the circular hike, which takes about 4 hours 30 minutes. The elevation figure adds another specific measure to the comparison, which you can consider alongside the duration when planning your day.

The Circuit des vignes de clairette starts in the picturesque lanes of Ponet, leads to a viewpoint over the vineyards and passes an explanatory sign at the village entrance. This offers a different basis for choosing a route from hikes with stated times, distances or elevation figures: here, the village start, the view over the vineyards and the explanation at the village entrance take centre stage. Before setting out on the routes mentioned, check local trail conditions; for Pierre Plate et Ramiat, also check the current trail markings, and for the Circuit des vignes de clairette, the local signage.

Discover more destinations: Dieulefit, Réauville, Lus-La-Croix-Haute, Ancône, Albon, Crest, Pierrelatte, Saint-Pantaléon-Les-Vignes

For the main travel overview: Drôme.