Le Poët is built on the banks of the Durance. The village brings together a settlement clustered on a hill and the agricultural plain. This offers two distinct focuses for planning your trip: the history of the buildings and the village, and a circular walk described in detail. You can decide whether to shape your stay more around the village’s historic features or an activity with a set route and time profile.
Hilltop village, views across the landscape
At the heart of the hilltop village of Le Poët, old houses cluster on the hill above the agricultural plain. This gives the village a clear layout: the group of houses on higher ground and the agricultural plain below. The Table d'orientation du Poët offers panoramic views of the Durance, orchards and Alpine peaks. The river, cultivated landscape and mountain backdrop form distinct elements of the same view.
Church, chapel and commemorative landmarks
The Eglise Saint-Pierre was restored at the beginning of the 19th century; its bell tower dates from the 11th century. The Cadran solaire du Poët is also on the village church’s façade. Its French motto reads: “Regarde mon ombre, tu verras ta vie”. The church, bell tower and sundial thus connect different aspects of the village’s history: a building restored at a later date, a medieval tower and a sundial with a distinctive motto.
Chapelle Sainte-Anne is near the village cemetery. It was rebuilt after the Wars of Religion with the support of Mme AMAT, and renovated in 1860. These are two separate details in the chapel’s history: its rebuilding after the Wars of Religion and its renovation in a specific year. Services are held in the chapel during the Sainte-Anne festival; dates may vary.
L'horloge overlooks the Durance Valley and bears the coat of arms of the de Rame family, who owned Le Poët in the 14th century. A plaque in front of the church commemorates Napoleon’s stop here. The Route Napoléon also passes through Le Poët. This gives you two specific connections to the village’s history: the memorial to Napoleon’s stop and the route that passes through the village.
A circular walk with clear details
The route description for the circular walk “Au dessus du Poët (N°24),” checked on 22 August 2026, names the Parking de la Bascule at the northern entrance to the village as both the starting and finishing point. It rates the walk as easy and gives a distance of 5.9 kilometres and an approximate duration of 1 hour and 40 minutes. According to the same description, the family walk passes through forests and lavender fields. Check the route details again before setting off.
When choosing where to stay, weigh the two themes differently: the village’s features tell a story of architecture, religious buildings and historical memories; the circular walk offers a described route with a stated duration. If a specific walk matters to you, the start and end point and route length can help you plan. If you are more interested in the village’s history, the church, chapel, sundial and other commemorative landmarks offer several distinct points of interest.
Discover more destinations: Gap, Ceillac, Sigoyer, Val-Des-Prés, Chabottes, Crots, Savines-Le-Lac, Saint-Martin-De-Queyrières.
See the broader travel overview: Hautes-Alpes.
