Bathernay combines heritage with short walks through the rolling countryside. An easy, signposted 2 km trail takes about 1 hour and 30 minutes; there is also the nine-stage “Bathernay, patrimoine & paysages” walk and a treasure hunt starting at the town hall. At Mont Ventefort, a trail leads to 360-degree views over the surrounding villages, the Monts d’Ardèche, the Pilat, the Vercors and the Alps. This gives you concrete options when choosing a destination: local history and architecture, or the landscape around the village.
Walks and activities
The heritage trail is an easy 2 km walking route, with twelve markers along the way. Allow about 1 hour and 30 minutes to complete it. The “Bathernay, patrimoine & paysages” walk covers nine stages over 1.7 km. The routes are similarly short but differ in how they are laid out: the trail has twelve markers, while the walk has nine stages. The trail can be followed in all four seasons. Its information board is next to the car park in the village centre; you can get the accompanying document from Bathernay town hall.
The “Sur les pas d'Imbert de Batarnay” treasure hunt starts at the town hall and takes individual visitors an average of 90 minutes. This is roughly the same time as the trail, but the formats differ: a marked walking route or a treasure hunt starting at the town hall.
Hilly countryside and views
Bathernay grew on the slopes and at the foot of a wooded spur, topped by a feudal castle. A trail from Bathernay leads up to Mont Ventefort. From the summit, 360-degree views stretch over the surrounding villages, the Monts d’Ardèche and the Pilat, the Vercors, and the Alps.
Heritage between the church and castle complex
The Église Saint-Étienne contains polychrome stone statues from the 15th and 16th centuries, as well as modern stained-glass windows installed during the 2006 restoration. The church thus brings together works of art from several centuries and a more recent addition.
The Ancien presbytère is a former fortified house in the medieval castle complex that was later used as a presbytery. It retains Gothic features from the 13th and 14th centuries. The Vierge du Voeu, also known as “Notre-Dame,” was commissioned following a vow made on 15 August 1944 and erected on 27 October 1946.
The Baumes of Bathernay are a distinctive feature of the slopes. The caves, formed in soft molasse, have been used for a variety of purposes, including agricultural outbuildings, storage areas and living spaces. The cave dwellings of Bathernay are also associated with the soft molasse rock of the DrĂ´me. In the DrĂ´me des Collines, Bathernay is one of the places where some caves are still inhabited.
Visiting the Église Saint-Étienne
In 2026, the Église Saint-Étienne can be visited free of charge. Individual visits without a guide are possible at any time; guided tours are available on request. If you are travelling at a later date, it is advisable to confirm the visiting arrangements in advance.
Discover more destinations: Saint-Barthélemy-De-Val, Combovin, Saint-Marcel-lès-Valence, Eygaliers, Les Granges-Gontardes, Pont-De-L'isère, Lens-Lestang, Piégros-La-Clastre.
Back to the main travel guide: DrĂ´me.
