Champis is regarded as a peaceful place surrounded by nature, about 20 minutes from the Rhône Valley. Its varied attractions include seasonal insights into beekeeping, megaliths and architectural landmarks from several centuries. When planning your visit, it is worth keeping the relevant conditions in mind: one tour takes place at a specific time of year, an introduction to beekeeping requires a reservation, and the Sentier des mégalithes has a designated start and end point in La Bâtie de Crussol.
Beekeeping: a seasonal tour or a reserved introduction?
From July through August 15, inclusive, the Miellerie Ă tire d'aile offers free tours on Thursdays at 5 p.m. They include honey extraction, observing a teaching beehive, and tasting honey and fresh pollen. Registration is required. The visits are seasonal; dates and arrangements may change. Check the details in advance.
The Miellerie also offers introductions to beekeeping by prior reservation. These include working with the hives, observing the bees, a visit to the honey production facility, and tastings of honey and fresh pollen. For planning purposes, the difference lies in the focus: the seasonal tour is tied to the Thursday time slot specified above, while the reserved introduction also includes working with the hives. If you are looking for this hands-on experience, you can consider the introduction as an alternative. Arrangements may change here too, so confirm the date in advance.
Architectural history between church, fortifications and brewery
Champis’s architectural landmarks span different forms and periods. In Garnier, the church was built in 1872; there is also an open-air theatre there. La Bâtie de Crussol was a fortified town, and its former walls are still visible. The fortified Roubiac farm, which has also been preserved, dates from the 15th century. By contrast, only ruins remain at the site of the former Saint-Pierre church. The comparison brings the different traces into focus: surviving walls and a farm stand alongside a church building and the site of a former church.
A more precisely dated example is the Grange du Seigneur. It was built in 1453 as a storehouse for grain and other dues owed to the Lord of Crussol. Today, the building houses a craft brewery. If you would like to include the brewery in your visit, be sure to enquire separately about access.
The former temple in the hamlet of La Bâtie de Crussol is also part of this architectural history: it was built in 1819. An account published in June 2025 reports that, on June 6, it was converted from religious to cultural use on the occasion of its inauguration; it describes this cultural use as established. Here, the focus is on the year it was built and the reported change of use, while at the other sites, fortifications, a preserved farm or ruins draw attention to the architectural traces.
Finding your way on the Sentier des mégalithes
The Sentier des mégalithes starts and ends at Place de la mairie in La Bâtie de Crussol, Champis. Along the way, a brown sign points to La Pierre Branlante; from there, follow the path 100 metres to the right to see the megalith. This lets you connect the marked direction with the destination, La Pierre Branlante, without confusing it with the trail’s start and end point. The stated route to the trail follows the D533 towards Alboussière, then the D269 towards Champis-La Bâtie de Crussol.
These details provide different points of reference for planning a trip: a seasonal beekeeping tour, an alternative that requires a reservation, several specific architectural landmarks, and a named trail with described access. If you are mainly interested in beekeeping, use the conditions for the two offerings as a guide. For local history, the different architectural styles and dates provide a range of themes to explore.
Discover more destinations: Mercuer, Les Assions, Étables, Saint-André-Lachamp, Saint-Julien-du-Gua, Aubenas, Labeaume, Banne
For the broader travel overview: Ardèche.
