Annonay reveals itself through different facets of its history: a walking tour takes you to historic sites and monuments, museums showcase traditional crafts, and the Domaine de Varagnes combines architecture with the history of innovation. This lets you tailor your stay to the subjects that interest you most, rather than trying to squeeze every attraction into a single itinerary.
City history along the discovery trail
The Annonay discovery trail is 2,200 metres long and offers a tour of the historic city centre that takes around two hours. Seventeen information panels are located at significant historic sites and monuments around the city. The route therefore combines a manageable distance with specific points of reference for the city’s history. If you would like to structure your visit, you can plan the walk as a separate activity; its duration is given as around two hours.
Crafts, parchment and the conquest of the skies
The Musée Vivarois César Filhol explores the traditional expertise of Annonay’s tanners and leather dressers. The museum also covers the Montgolfier brothers’ first balloon flights in the context of the conquest of the skies. The collection thus brings together two distinct subjects: leatherworking and the early history of aviation.
The Musée du Parchemin presents the history of parchment and the craft of making it. You can watch production from a glazed gallery above the parchment workshop. The museum is one of the few devoted to parchment; the Parcheminerie Dumas is one of the last three parchment workshops in France. Those interested in crafts will find both the history of the trade and an insight into how parchment is made. The leatherworking at the Musée Vivarois César Filhol offers a different craft focus.
Varagnes and historic buildings
The Domaine de Varagnes was created by Marc Seguin as a place for innovation and has been protected as a Monument historique since 1992. The estate includes a decorated greenhouse with double glazing, a chapel, laboratories, a library and an observatory. On a guided tour, you can also explore workshops, laboratories, the library and observatory, as well as the monumental greenhouse decorated by Seguin’s children. This makes Varagnes a destination in its own right for anyone who wants to explore historic buildings and their different spaces as well as museums.
The Chapelle Sainte-Marie is the last surviving part of the Sainte-Marie convent, built in the 17th century. It was deconsecrated and converted into a dance studio in February 2018. The chapel is freely accessible, but can only be viewed from the outside; special guided openings are scheduled separately. Access to the Tour des Martyrs is limited to certain occasions: visits are possible in particular during the European Heritage Days. The tower is also included in neighbourhood tours organised by the tourist office. These tours take place only occasionally, so it is worth checking the dates in advance.
Festival and Via Fluvia
Another event with a set annual timeframe is the J'Peux Pas J'ai Montgolfière festival, held every year on the first weekend in July. The detailed programme may vary from one edition to the next, so check the dates and events before your trip. You can plan your stay around a range of different interests: a city walk, exploring crafts and architectural history, or a visit centred on the festival.
The Via Fluvia also offers a specific starting point for cycling enthusiasts. The start of this section in Annonay is at the bus station, in the direction of Super U. On the section from the Les Bénévis car park in Burdignes to Annonay, paved voies vertes and véloroutes alternate. These details describe the route and its changing route types; they add a different way to plan your trip alongside its cultural themes.
Discover more destinations: Jaunac, Sarras, Le Béage, Saint-André-de-Cruzières, Saint-Péray, Lussas, Saint-Prix, Balazuc.
For the regional travel overview: Ardèche.
