At an altitude of 888 metres, Beaujeu consists of a group of hamlets and forests. The cultural history of Saint-Pierre church, the geological formation of the Pli de Beaujeu and several different outdoor destinations offer a range of possible focuses for your stay. For planning purposes, it helps to keep these themes separate: a visit to the church tells the story of its construction phases, while the hikes lead to different destinations. The route, elevation gain and duration are specified for the hike to La Cériège.
Churches and history
Saint-Pierre church and the church of Beaujeu date from the 17th century. An earlier construction history is also recorded for Saint-Pierre: in 1840, the church was enlarged over an older chapel dedicated to Saint Bartholomew and renamed Saint-Pierre. A restoration followed at the beginning of the 21st century, involving, in particular, work on the wall frescoes. This reveals several distinct periods: the older chapel, the enlargement of 1840 and the later restoration. Those interested in architectural history will find a tangible connection to Beaujeu’s history at Saint-Pierre, while the church of Beaujeu also dates from the 17th century.
Hamlets, forests and geological history
The landscape can also be viewed on different scales. Beaujeu lies at an altitude of 888 metres and consists of hamlets and forests; the Pli de Beaujeu is a geological formation between Digne-les-Bains and Seyne. It is an anticlinal, bridge-shaped fold that illustrates the deformations of the Digne nappe. Its shape and geological classification describe two aspects of the same feature. If geology is also a factor in choosing your destinations, the Pli offers a topic of its own alongside churches and hiking destinations.
Hiking destinations with different highlights
The hike to the hamlet of La Cériège is 5.6 kilometres long, has an elevation gain of 310 metres and takes 2 hours and 15 minutes. These details provide a specific timeframe for planning and give the route, ascent and duration together.
The hike to Chastelas has a different focus: it starts in Saint-Pierre de Beaujeu and leads to the summit of Chastelas. Along the way are works from the Musée Gassendi’s “L’Art en Montagne” collection. Here, a summit destination and artworks along the route go hand in hand. From the hamlet of Saint-Pierre, you can also discover Sariège, a ruined village. Saint-Pierre is therefore a starting point for two different destinations: the hike to Chastelas and the discovery of Sariège.
From the hamlet of L’Escale, you can reach Mont Blayeul, which stands at an altitude of 2,170 metres. Mont Blayeul offers sweeping views of the Alpine range. The destinations therefore differ in what is specified for planning purposes: La Cériège in terms of route, elevation gain and duration; Chastelas in terms of its summit and artworks along the way; and Mont Blayeul in terms of altitude and Alpine views. This lets you choose according to the kind of experience you want, without combining the destinations into a single outing.
A shelter for hikers
An abandoned municipal barn was restored to turn it into a shelter for hikers. If the shelter is important to your plans, check its current condition before your visit.
Discover more destinations: Montclar, Revest-du-Bion, Noyers-sur-Jabron, L'Escale, Montagnac-Montpezat, Les Thuiles, Saint-Pons, Peipin.
For the full travel overview: Alpes-De-Haute-Provence.
