Mallefougasse-Augès is considered a medieval village at the foot of the Montagne de Lure. Two perspectives stand out when choosing this destination: the Romanesque architecture of the parish church and the hiking and cycling routes through the mountains. This allows you to get a sense of the place through both culture and outdoor activities.
Romanesque architecture in Mallefougasse
The parish church of Saint-Jean-Baptiste preserves an early Romanesque choir with a quarter-sphere vault. For those interested in culture, this offers a clearly defined point of interest: the choir and its vault form make early Romanesque architecture tangible in a specific part of the building. Alongside the village’s medieval character, a distinctive feature of church architecture also comes into focus. Anyone wishing to include architectural history in their travel plans will find a concrete starting point here.
Hiking trails and landscape
One named hike is titled “Bas col et chapelle d’Augès”. It leads to the Bas Col and continues to the Chapelle d’Augès; on the return journey, it offers views of the village of Mallefougasse and the Montagne de Lure. The route thus links two named destinations with views of the village and mountain on the way back. There are also numerous hiking and cycling routes through the Montagne de Lure starting from Mallefougasse. If you are looking for a specific hiking option, you can use the destinations and return-trip views on this tour as a guide; if you would rather choose between several activities, you can consider the wider range of routes.
The natural environment can also be described more precisely. In 2018, about 1,900 hectares of natural and semi-natural areas were recorded within Mallefougasse’s 1,971-hectare territory. These include forests, garrigue, meadows and certain heterogeneous agricultural areas. The area figure gives an indication of scale, while the different types describe the diversity of the recorded landscape.
A challenging cycling route
The Montagne de Lure loop, cycling route no. 5, passes through Mallefougasse-Augès. It is classified as difficult, is 86.3 kilometres long and takes about five hours. It also involves 1,710 metres of ascent and 1,710 metres of descent. When planning the ride, you can weigh up the distance, approximate duration and elevation changes together. This sets it apart from the hike to the Chapelle d’Augès: the cycling loop focuses on difficulty and effort, while the hike centres on its named destinations and the views of the village and mountain on the return journey.
The bread oven and local history
At the Fête du pain on 17 May 2025, bread and pizzas baked in the medieval oven were sold from 9 a.m. The event also included a small market of local producers. Participants could bake or warm up their own food in the oven and take part in a communal meal in the village square. On this occasion, the oven was therefore connected not only with the baked goods for sale, but also with activities for participants.
The association’s premises of Au Pied Du Mur are also dedicated to local history. They open one Sunday morning each month so that visitors can rediscover the historical treasures of Mallefougasse and Montlaux. As the opening hours fall on just one morning a month, it is advisable to check the current calendar before visiting.
When looking for a holiday rental in Mallefougasse-Augès, a clear question about your interests can help: do you want your stay to focus more on village history and architecture, or would you prefer to centre it on hiking and cycling routes through the Montagne de Lure? The specific differences between the hiking destinations and the challenging cycling loop offer a practical guide.
Discover more destinations: Senez, Aubenas-Les-Alpes, La Bréole, Enchastrayes, Prads-Haute-Bléone, Allemagne-En-Provence, Saint-Pons, Montfuron
For the regional travel overview: Alpes-De-Haute-Provence.
