Explore Montsalier on foot through its small lanes; its churches, the former settlement of Vieux Montsalier and the architectural history of the Bastide du Baou each offer a different historical perspective. When planning your day, it is worth distinguishing between a stroll through the lanes and the uphill hiking trail to the ruin.
Churches from different periods
The oldest parts of the Church of Saint-Pierre-aux-Liens, also known as Saint-Sauveur, are on Haut-Montsalier. They date from the 11th or early 12th century. An arrow slit in the apse illuminates the church—a specific architectural detail to remember alongside its long building history.
Notre-Dame au Plan, by contrast, focuses on the 19th century: the church was built in 1856–1857, replacing an older chapel. It is now Montsalier’s parish church. Its central bay is beneath a dome, and the bell tower was built as a tower above the choir. This offers a chance to consider two different building histories: the old parts of Saint-Pierre-aux-Liens and the dated construction of Notre-Dame au Plan.
Vieux Montsalier and the Bastide du Baou
The former village of Vieux Montsalier was Montsalier’s first settlement and is now a ruin. It was built on a rocky promontory for better defense. Access is via an uphill hiking trail. Take the climb into account when planning your day, and check the current trail conditions before setting out.
The Bastide du Baou also tells the story of successive uses of a site. It was built on the site of a Gallo-Roman structure, followed later by the now-vanished Church of Notre-Dame de la Ferronnade. Two round towers flank the bastide; they were converted into dovecotes. Here, the focus is both on a historical sequence and a specific alteration to the building.
Lanes, façades and village features
A stroll takes you through several small lanes lined with houses whose harmonious ochre-colored façades are made of dry stone. The interplay of material and color gives a walk through the village a different character from visiting the historic churches or climbing to Vieux Montsalier. Montsalier also has a very large covered washhouse and a fountain. Both add to the village’s architectural character without requiring you to plan a longer hike.
Getting there and planning other activities
Montsalier can be reached via the RD51 departmental road. The road connects Banon with Simiane-la-Rotonde, providing a useful reference point for your journey. Check the current road conditions before setting out.
There are opportunities for hiking in Provence on roads, tracks and trails. The quiet roads and dirt tracks of the Plateau d’Albion and Montagne de Lure are suitable for road cycling and mountain biking. These options are different from Montsalier’s lanes and the uphill access to Vieux Montsalier: plan them as separate activities rather than treating them as one combined village route.
When planning where to stay, consider one simple question: do you mainly want to explore Montsalier’s lanes and historic sites, or would you also like to include hiking and cycling opportunities in Provence in your trip?
Discover more destinations: Saint-Michel-L'observatoire, Simiane-La-Rotonde, Volx, Le Vernet, La Bréole, Saint-Julien-Du-Verdon, Saint-Vincent-Les-Forts, Enchastrayes.
Go to the main travel overview: Alpes-De-Haute-Provence.
