Châteauneuf-Val-Saint-Donat brings together a distinctive local history and two circular trails with different focuses. Its historical heritage includes the Romanesque Chapelle Sainte-Madeleine, the ruined old village and the former production of charcoal. Outdoors, the trails offer different highlights: bories on the southern slope of the Montagne de Lure, or the Chapelle Saint-Antoine and the old village.
Chapel and local history
The Chapelle Sainte-Madeleine is a freestanding Romanesque building dating from around 1180. It stands among white oaks, about four kilometres southwest of the village. Hermits lived there until the French Revolution; it was restored from 1975 to 1979. By decree dated 30 June 1997, the chapel, including the land in parcel C 167, was listed as a historic monument.
The ruined old village sits on a hill above the plain. From 1423 to 1733, the former name Châteauneuf-les-Charbonniers was used. It refers to the local production of charcoal from wood obtained through land clearing. The village’s history thus connects an earlier name with a specific craft tradition and the use of wood at the time.
Two circular trails, different highlights
The Circuit des Bories is an easy, eight-kilometre circular trail. Allow about three hours of walking and 287 metres of ascent and descent. The route follows the southern slope of the Montagne de Lure through mineral landscapes and leads to the bories, former shepherds’ buildings of Haute-Provence. Both the landscape and the area’s former pastoral economy are therefore among the themes of this hike.
The Le vieux village circular trail passes below the Chapelle Saint-Antoine and reaches the southern end of the old village. The return journey begins at a ruined mill and runs alongside olive groves, fields and garrigue back to Châteauneuf. By contrast, the Circuit des Bories focuses on the bories and the mineral landscape on the Lure slope; Le vieux village foregrounds the chapel, the old village and the scenery along the return route. Check trail conditions before setting out.
More historical traces and local produce
The Lavoir du Pleidieu lies in open countryside in the south of the commune, far from residential buildings. A 3,000-square-metre Gallo-Roman site stood nearby in antiquity. This adds a much earlier point in time to the local history.
The Église Saint Antoine became the parish church in 1683 and was still used for funeral services in 1876. Its vault later collapsed; the old Sainte-Madeleine church took its place. These dates and events record different stages in its use as a church.
La Toma de Lura sells organic goat’s cheese and organic kid goats raised with their mothers directly from the farm in Châteauneuf-Val-Saint-Donat. If you plan to buy directly from the farm, check the arrangements before travelling.
Discover more destinations: Jausiers, Banon, Mane, Clamensane, Vachères, Chaudon-Norante, La Bréole, La Javie.
Return to the main travel overview: Alpes-De-Haute-Provence.
