The Church of Saint-Julien stands at the foot of the hill where Aubignosc’s former castle stood, near a spring and a historic road. Nearby, a technically demanding orienteering course, named sections of cycling and pilgrimage routes, and beekeeping offer further, clearly distinct topics to consider when planning your trip.
Landscape and townscape
The Durance shapes the municipality and its landscape; the Riou and its tributaries play the same role. The state-owned Forêt domaniale du Prieuré is located partly in Aubignosc. The Montagne de Lure offers views across the entire municipality. The N85 is also among the major transport infrastructure that has shaped the area.
Church and history
The Priory of Saint-Julien in Aubignosc was dependent on Cruis Abbey. A date above the door of the Church of Saint-Julien probably indicates that it was renovated in 1662. The chapel in the hamlet of Forest is associated with two distinct dates: in 1689, a chaplain celebrated Mass there; in 1754, the chapel became a subsidiary church of the Church of Saint-Julien in Aubignosc. The first date refers to a religious service, while the second marks the chapel’s later ecclesiastical status.
Orienteering, cycling and pilgrimage routes
The permanent, highly technical Le Pas des Boeufs orienteering course is located in Aubignosc. Controls are placed at distinctive features in the terrain, for participants to find individually or in groups. The format focuses on navigating to the controls in the terrain. If you plan to take the course, check the latest operational information beforehand.
A mountain biking stage runs from Aubignosc to the col des Pénitents: it begins in Aubignosc and ends at the col des Pénitents. Its listed details are a distance of 23 km, 550 m of ascent, 310 m of descent, a duration of 2 hours 30 minutes, and a Green–V2 difficulty rating. Another route is the Chemin de Saint-Jacques de Compostelle, the Way of St James, with a 7.5 km section between Aubignosc and Châteauneuf-Val-Saint-Donat. Before setting out on the mountain biking stage or the Way of St James, check the latest route conditions. The mountain biking stage can be assessed based on its duration, elevation gain and difficulty rating; the distance between the two towns is a concrete planning figure for the Way of St James section.
Beekeeping and local produce
The Miellerie Maccario produces lavender honey with the “Miel de Provence” PGI designation and the Label Rouge quality label. It also invites visitors to learn about the world of bees and transhumant beekeeping. This brings together a specific product and an insight into beekeeping as two distinct discoveries. If you are planning a visit, check the latest visiting arrangements beforehand.
Discover more destinations: Ste.Croix-A-Lauze, Oppedette, Saint-Maime, Manosque, Auzet, Esparron-De-Verdon, Beauvezer, Châteauneuf-Val-Saint-Donat.
For the broader travel overview: Alpes-De-Haute-Provence.
