Rocky setting and cultural landscape

Montaulieu is a village perched on a rocky outcrop at an altitude of 500 m. Its landscape combines untamed nature with the region’s characteristic crops: olive trees, lavender, apricot trees, vines and lime trees. This mix offers more than one way to experience the place: alongside the village itself, the interplay of nature and cultural landscape shapes a stay here. Those looking to plan a trip around the landscape and local history will find two specific starting points in Montaulieu: the many walks through the local Lieux-dits and the historic buildings. The village thus combines a striking location with a landscape typical of the region and a history reflected in various buildings and surviving architectural features.

Hikes, a pass route and climbing

Numerous walks pass through Montaulieu’s local Lieux-dits. The long “Les six cols” hike offers a different scale: it links six passes and leads to numerous viewpoints overlooking the surrounding mountains. This distinction can help when choosing a route: one option is a series of walks through the local Lieux-dits, while the other is a single, long pass route with several passes and mountain views. “Les six cols” starts at the Col des Lantons, at an altitude of 726 m, and heads towards Montaulieu, passing the Rocher Crespin. On IGN maps, this rock is called Rocher Florin; it is a climbing area for advanced climbers. The route passes by the rock, while the climbing information refers to the Rocher itself.

A route at the Col de la Vôte can also be ridden on a VTC. This adds another type of activity to the hikes. For planning purposes, the options can be distinguished by their focus: the long “Les six cols” pass hike, the climbing area at the Rocher, and a VTC ride on the route at the Col de la Vôte.

Church and central chapel

When exploring local history, it is worth distinguishing the Church of Saint-Jacques from the central chapel. The present-day church was built in 1859. According to Abbé Vandamme’s notes, the chapel dates from the 14th century; it collapsed in the 1950s and was rebuilt by Hamonet around 1975. While Saint-Jacques is associated with a specific construction date, the chapel has a multi-stage history of medieval origins, collapse and reconstruction. Thus, a 19th-century church building stands alongside the story of an older chapel that was later rebuilt.

Traces of earlier buildings

The former fortifications and seigneurial buildings also bear different traces of history. A defensive wall around Montaulieu was mentioned in the archives as early as the 15th century; no trace of it remains. Two architectural connections are recorded for the former manor house of the lord of the castle: the smaller corner tower was incorporated into Mr Mériat’s sheepfold, which later became the present-day town hall. At the southern end of Montaulieu, a truncated stone cylinder from the larger corner tower also survives. The examples are clearly distinct: nothing remains of the wall, one tower became part of a building that continued to be used, and a stone section of the larger corner tower has survived. This comparison gives the village’s history a tangible architectural framework without presenting the different traces as a single surviving complex.

A dated event notice

The Fête de la Soupe took place in Montaulieu on 15 February 2025 and 28 February 2026. If you are planning to visit for a possible future edition, check the date before making plans.

Discover more destinations: Aulan, Pierrelatte, Mornans, Vers-Sur-Méouge, La Motte-de-Galaure, Charens, Eygaliers, Saint-Bonnet-de-Valclérieux.

For the broader travel overview: Drôme.