Champsaur and valgaudemar mountain valleys

Champsaur and valgaudemar are two mountain valleys where the agriculture has always been and still is today a dominating force. the landscape, the men and the patrimony have all been moulded from this heritage.

The villar-loubière windmill  Towards 1800, bread became the essential alimentation for peasants. As flour conserves less well than grain, it was necessary to mill it all year long. This gives the windmill an essential role in the life of the village and each hamlet of Valgaudemar has its own windmill.  Most of them on this territory work thanks to an horizontal hydraulic wheel (a method that was simpler to use than the vertical wheel system).  The Villar-Loubière Windmill, safeguarded, it is witness to mountain life in former times.

The medieval small market town of st. bonnet  You will pass in front of the house where the Duke of Lesdiguières was born, Grenette Square, and in the central alleyways which particularly highlight the ambience of this medieval small market town.

Saint firmin chateau  Overlooking the Drac river plane and national road 85 which pass at the foot of its rocky outcrop, this fort was built in 1377. Its ruins are made up of a three story square tower which was separated by a framework of floorboards in former times and a tower flanked with slots.  Artwork of the legend portraying how the undergrounds closed upon the treasure of Templiers.

Les oules du diable and portes bridge  These gorges, where the Navette torrent spills out, run several hundred meters in length and are a succession of seething pools of water which start at the hamlet of Portes, flowing from the " Romain " bridge to the Chapel.  Portes Bridge dates from the XIIth century (wrongly called " Romain " bridge) and was built at Portes village, at the entrance to Les Oules du Diable. Facing the Olan massif on the other side of the valley, this bridge is undoubtedly world renown.

Forestry discovery trail  The ecological trail of La Cuque, departing from the Laye ski resort, in 10 steps (guided signs) traversing the forest, will take you to the summit of the Lauzon ski lift, where you will discover some exceptional views on the Bayard plateau, the Gapençais and the Champsaur valley.  An original walk to discover the richness of our natural patrimony: fauna, flora, and exceptional panoramic views.

St léger les mélèzes chateau  Constructed around the XVth century, this edifice is the only one of its kind in Champsaur to have conserved a wall put into place in the XVIIth century.  The architecture of this chateau is quite interesting, with a body of dwellings reconstructed in 1877. The lattice work windows and accolade doors are souvenirs of its past.

Pétètes chapel  In the hamlet of Aubérie, between Bénévent and Les Infournas, the chapel can be found on the edge of the road on a promontory. This charismatic and emblematic monument of Champsaur, presents important architectural and historical particularities (sculpted façade, altar in repoussé leather). It was edified in the 18th century, and is the work of an inhabitant of Aubérie, Jacques Pascal. Sure facts concerning the Pétètes chapel are little known. The façade is composed of several niches all occupied by small statuettes resembling little dolls from where the name " Pétètes " comes from, also known as the " Chapelle des Amoureux " (Lovers Chapel).