Valernes combines a hilltop church with walking and cycling excursions. At the top of the village stands Église Sainte-Marie-Madeleine, overlooking the Durance Valley. This gives you two distinct points of focus for planning your trip: sacred architecture with a clear story of reconstruction, and routes with practical details for active exploration. You can decide whether you are more interested in the village itself or in the trails.
Hilltop church: history and architecture
Église Sainte-Marie-Madeleine was rebuilt from 1599 onward after destruction during the Wars of Religion. Some materials from the earlier building were reused in the choir. This links the present-day church to an earlier structure, while its history also marks a specific turning point. An octagonal pyramid with dormer windows sits atop the bell tower; its style is inspired by medieval Alpine bell towers. The octagonal shape and dormer windows are two distinct features of the tower’s design. Together with its hilltop location, they define the church’s distinctive architectural and landscape setting.
Other details about the village
The Chapel of Saint-Didier is also maintained and renovated by its current owners. This ongoing care and renovation adds a contemporary note alongside the church’s historical building story. Valernes also has a covered wash house built onto the fountain. Sacred buildings and a local feature associated with a water source can therefore be found side by side. Those interested in Valernes’ built heritage will find a range of topics here, rather than just the history of a single building.
Walk to Rocher de Hongrie
A walk from the hilltop village of Valernes leads to Rocher de Hongrie. This is a different way to explore the area from taking a cycling tour. If you would like to visit the Rocher on foot, this walk provides a useful starting point for your planning. The cycling routes have different points of focus: their distance, duration or terrain profile can help you assess each ride.
Cycling tours and their different points of focus
The Tour du Rocher de Hongrie à vélo (No. 30) passes through Valernes and Vaumeilh. It starts and ends at Place du village in Valernes, covers 17.3 kilometres and has a stated duration of two hours. On the way back to Valernes, it follows the Sasse and offers wide views of the surrounding landscape and terrain. The route provides both a time estimate and practical details about its course and scenery to help with planning.
The Plateau de Saint-Didier à VTT mountain biking circuit (No. 13) starts in Valernes, at the side of the D951, four kilometres past the bridge over the Durance. It is easy, mostly flat and suitable for the whole family. Unlike Tour No. 30, for which distance and duration are given, the main point of reference for No. 13 is its terrain profile. This lets you choose between different kinds of information without treating the two routes as equivalent. Route information may change; check the latest details before setting out.
Getting there and accommodation
Valernes is accessible via the A51 motorway, exit 23. If you are travelling by car, this provides a specific starting point for planning your route; check current road conditions before setting out, as access information may change. When looking for hotels in Valernes, it helps to first decide what interests you most: the church and village history, the walk to Rocher de Hongrie or a cycling tour? This will help you plan your stay around the things that matter to you on your trip.
Discover more destinations: Thoard, Saint-Martin-les-Eaux, Dauphin, La Brillanne, Pierrevert, Sausses, Prads-Haute-Bléone, La Bréole
For the regional travel overview: Alpes-De-Haute-Provence.
