Davézieux can be explored through several clearly distinct themes: the Promenades papetières form a 3 km walk across the historic Vidalon site and into the everyday lives of paper makers. Memorial sites are linked to Canson and the Montgolfier brothers; at Chantecaille Dam, nature also takes centre stage.
Paper history along the route and in the townscape
On the Promenades papetières, follow in the footsteps of the paper makers and learn about their everyday lives. Along the route are workers’ housing, mansions, a chapel and workshops. This combination includes residential buildings, grand houses, a religious site and workspaces—different aspects of paper history that give the walk a clearly defined theme. The Promenades papetières thus offer a direct way to explore the historic Vidalon site. As seasonal scheduling may change, check the latest information about the walk before planning your visit.
Paper-making heritage can also be seen at other named locations in Davézieux. A workers’ settlement associated with the paper mills is located on Rue du Général Vincent, Rue Antoine Chelles and Rue des papetiers. The Maison des papetiers Canson et Montgolfier is housed in the Montgolfier brothers’ birthplace. Several memorial sites commemorate the Canson paper mills; others honour the Montgolfier brothers. This makes it possible to distinguish two strands of local remembrance: the history of the paper mills and that of the Montgolfier brothers.
Chantecaille and views of the landscape
Chantecaille Dam lies in the heart of a ZNIEFF, a natural area of ecological, faunal and floral interest. The area is also a breeding site for the greater mouse-eared bat, a large bat species. This gives the natural setting at the dam a specific ecological dimension that goes beyond a general description of the landscape.
Fishing is also practised at the dam above the paper mill. Local access conditions may vary; if you are planning to fish, check them in advance. Davézieux also offers impressive panoramas of the Alps and the Massif du Pilat. The views and the natural area give the landscape theme two distinct scales: the panoramas open up views of the named mountain ranges, while the ZNIEFF and the greater mouse-eared bat define the natural setting around the dam more specifically.
Events venue in Davézieux
Espace Montgolfier is an event venue in Davézieux. It can accommodate 1,200 standing spectators or 500 seated spectators. The two figures refer to different event formats and give an indication of the venue’s capacity. Specific event arrangements may vary; if you would like to include a visit in your trip, check the date and current layout.
Discover more destinations
Discover more destinations: Saint-Montan, Les Assions, Cros-De-Géorand, Saint-André-de-Cruzières, Montpézat-Sous-Bauzon, Jaunac, Lalevade-d'Ardèche, Châteaubourg.
For the regional travel guide: Ardèche.
