annot france tourism

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At an altitude of 700 m, near the Mercantour National Park, the Gorges du Verdon and the Côte d’Azur, Annot is in a privileged location between the Alps and the Mediterranean.

Off the beaten track, this medieval town stretches along the foot of the famous sandstones of Annot in the shade of hundred year-old chestnut trees and has kept its character and authenticity.

In Romanesque times, Annot occupied the quarter of Vers-la-Ville. In the middle Ages, the village was to change place: a first fortified surrounding wall was built from the church, dedicated at the time to Saint Pons.

The counts of Provence granted it many privileges and the town flourished. In XIVth century, a new belt of fortifications was built around it, as can be seen in the gates of la Grand’rue and rue Notre-Dame.

As you wander along the village streets, you will be taken back to the atmosphere of the middle Ages with its stalls, arcades, carved lintels, sandstone cobbles, historic doors and old houses.

Sandstone will be your guide from tower to fountain and semi-circular arched doors to mullioned windows. Up to XXth century, it marked the town’s architecture.

The place du germe, a magnificent area with secular plane trees, hosts, at Whitsun, a battalion in 1st Empire costume: the Bravade.

In Summer, Provence is celebrated with its traditions and its local produce. An approved « Station Verte de Vacances », Annot is a tourist village which welcomes all year round, hikers and other nature-lovers; its climbing site, in the middle of the sandstone blocks, attracts climbers from all over Europe.

Culture also has an important place along with music, painting, sculpture and dancing which liven up the village all through the year.

Manifestations

• Fête de la Saint-Fortunat at Whitsun, bravade in Napoleonic unfiorms;
• Fête Provencale (even years) or festival du folklore (odd years), meeting of folk groups from France and abroad, second weekend in July;
• Flea Market, second Sunday in August;
• Market on Saturday morning.
• The listed site of the limestones of Annot and the « famous bedroom and gardens of the King » ;
• The old village and its medieval alley-ways;
• The chapel of Vers-la-Ville and its remarkable Way of the Cross;
• The chapel of Vérimande;
• The Roman Cross (listed monument);
• The refuge bridge over the Vaïre.

Find out more

Tourist office :  www.verdontourisme.com/le-verdon/nos-villages/villages-de-caractere/annot-cite-des-gres/

Walk Grès d’Annot: www.rando-alpes-haute-provence.fr/gres-dannot/ Baou de Parou: www.rando-alpes-haute-provence.fr/baou-de-parou/

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À 700 m d’altitude, à proximité du Parc National du Mercantour, des Gorges du Verdon et de la Côte d’Azur, Annot jouit d’une situation géographique privilégiée entre les Alpes et la Méditerranée.

Annot village des grès

A l’écart des grands axes, cette petite cité médiévale s’étend au pied des célèbres grès d’Annot à l’ombre des châtaigniers séculaires . Elle a conservé tout son caractère et son authenticité.

A l’époque romaine, Annot occupe le quartier de Vers-la-Ville. Au Moyen-Âge, le village change d’emplacement : une première enceinte fortifiée est construite à partir de l’église, alors dédiée à Saint Pons.

Les comtes de Provence lui accordent de nombreux privilèges et la cité prospère. Au XIV ème  siècle, elle s’entoure d’une nouvelle ceinture de fortifications , comme en témoignent les portes de la Grand’rue et de la rue Notre-Dame .

Atmosphère moyenâgeuse

Vous retrouverez, en flânant dans les rues du village, l’ atmosphère du Moyen-Âge avec ses échoppes, ses arcades, ses linteaux gravés, ses pavés de grès, ses portes historiques et ses maisons anciennes. De tours en fontaines , de portes en plein cintre en fenêtre à meneaux, le grès sera votre guide . Jusqu’au XX ème  siècle, il a marqué de son empreinte, l’architecture de la cité.

La place du germe, magnifique espace aux platanes centenaires, accueille, à la Pentecôte, un bataillon en costume du 1er Empire : La Bravade, lors de la fête de la Saint-Fortunat.

Tradition et nature dans le village d’Annot

L’été on y célèbre la Provence, ses traditions et ses produits de terroir . Tous les deux ans le festival du Folklore met les provinces françaises et étrangères à l’honneur. La culture y a toute sa place, musique, peinture, sculpture et danse rythment la vie du village tout au long de l’année.

Classé « Station Verte de Vacances », Annot est un village touristique qui accueille, en toutes saisons, les randonneurs et autres amoureux de la nature ; son site d’escalade , au cœur des grès, attire des grimpeurs de toute l’Europe.

Il fait partie des Villages et Cités de Caractère des Alpes de Haute Provence .

Manifestations à Annot

• Fête de la Saint-Fortunat à la Pentecôte, animée par la bravade en uniformes napoléoniens ;
• Brocante, le deuxième dimanche d’août ;
• Marché le mardi matin.
• Le site classé des grès d’Annot et les célèbres « chambre et jardins du roi » ;
• Le vieux village et ses ruelles du Moyen-Âge ;
• La chapelle de Vers-la-Ville et son remarquable chemin de Croix ;
• La chapelle de Vérimande ;
• La croix romane (monument classé) ;
• Le pont à refuge sur la Vaïre.

Pour aller plus loin

Bureau d’information touristique d’Annot :  www.verdontourisme.com/preparer-mon-sejour/decouvrir-le-verdon/decouvrir-les-villages/

Idée de randonnée : Grès d’Annot :  www.rando-alpes-haute-provence.fr/trek/227903

Visiter également les autres villages et cités de caractère du département .

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Alpes de Haute Provence

Bienvenue dans le village d’ annot.

Au plus proche de la nature…

Découvrez toutes les activités que vous pouvez faire ainsi que les lieux à visiter à Annot et dans les alentours du village.

Explorez des sentiers de randonnée avec des panoramas à couper le souffle dans la région d’Annot.

Où dormir ?

Retrouvez tous mes conseils pour trouver un endroit où dormir dans la belle cité médiévale d’Annot.

le village d’annot

Pour ceux à la recherche d’ évasion , de détente et de contact avec la nature ..

Si vous êtes à la recherche d’une destination tranquille, au plus proche de la nature et des grands espaces préservés, Annot est fait pour vous ! Classée « Station Verte de Vacances », cette petite cité médiévale a su garder toute son authenticité et jouit d’un excellent emplacement, entre les Alpes et la Méditerranée, sur une petite colline, à 700 mètres d’altitude. Entourée de montagnes et de forêts, c’est l’endroit parfait pour les amoureux de la nature…

Que peut-on faire dans le village d’Annot ?

Lors de votre séjour à Annot, vous pourrez en apprendre plus sur le patrimoine culturel et historique de cette belle petite cité médiévale, explorer le centre historique du vieux village, vous promener dans les ruelles étroites pour voir les magnifiques maisons anciennes qui les bordent… Annot, c’est également la cité des grés millénaires. Vous pourrez y faire de l’escalade mais aussi découvrir les nombreux sentiers de randonnée de la région avec les montagnes, les lacs et les forêts tout autour… En hiver, Annot devient une très belle station de ski de fond avec un grand domaine où l’on peut s’adonner aux sports d’hiver…

© Alison Shayler

Charming village in the hills above Nice

Annot combines medieval charm with modern Provençal style in a wonderfully relaxed fashion. It's also a great centre for mountain sports.

On the scenic train line from Nice to Dignes, on arrival at Annot train station the main village is a 10-minute walk away through a pleasant residential area; it’s easy to find, just look out for the red roof tiles and head in that direction.

First of all you’ll pass by the tourist office on the main square, a wide shady area lined with tall Plane trees. Beyond is a quiet intersection where the terraces of a few different cafés and bars face a large petanque pitch beside the river Vaïre. The bridge that crosses the river is the Pont de la Donne, built in 1709 and registered as an historical monument.

On turning right at the intersection you’ll enter the old village; a fascinating tangle of medieval alleyways and beautiful stone buildings. The tiny streets all loop round to meet each other, so it's easy to double back and find yourself back where you started without realising.

Annot is not just a monument to the past, there is also lots to do and it is a popular site for rock climbers thanks to the sandstone of the Grès d'Annot.

History & Culture in [locality]

The legend of the Chambres du Roi dates back to the 10th century when Saracen marauders were sweeping France.

Apparently a Christian prince of Lower Provence was on the run from the Saracens and was granted refuge in a rocky cavern, where he and his princess lived in safety until their hiding place was revealed by a traitor and they were slaughtered by the Saracens, along with the people of Annot who had helped hide them. The entire village would have been wiped out if it were not for a plague that swept through the Saracen ranks, mysteriously stopping once all the infidels were dead.

All good stories obviously end with a ghostly presence and this one is the restless soul of the traitor, who apparently appears as a strange glowing vision as dawn breaks over the rocks.

Sights & Attractions in [locality]

In the heart of the old village is the solid stone church of Notre-Dame, call into the smaller Chapelle des Pénitents Blancs next door to see the beautiful 17th century altar painting by François Mimault.

The stone vaulted archway that leads to the old village marks the start of the Grand Rue - the main road of Annot since the 14th century.

Events in [locality]

Annot has a regular market every Tuesday morning and a foire on Saturdays.

Things to do in [locality]

Call into the tourist office and pick up a town map, it has all the historical monuments listed on it so that you can go on a self-guided walking tour.

The Grès d'Annot is a site popular with rock climbers for its massive sandstone boulders, some more than 100m high. You can also see the impressive rock formations by following the Chambre du Roi; a hiking trail that starts behind the train station and loops round through forests back to the village. It takes around three hours and is reasonably flat.

There are also many other hikes signposted from the village that lead into the mountains and gorges of the Vallée du Var.

Dining in [locality]

The centre of Annot has a small collection of cafés, bars, bakeries and crêperies. If you want to feel like a true local then head to the Café du Commerce beside the river and sip on a pastis whilst watching the locals play petanque.

Annot is situated between Nice and Dignes-les-Bains and can most easily be reached on the Train des Pignes , a slow-moving but very scenic train ride through the Var valley.

If you're driving, Annot is on route D908 just off the RN202.

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Les Grès d'Annot

For an arresting insight into the forces of nature, a hike up to these massive, fractured stone blocks above the town of Annot is well worth the effort. Caused by volcanic activity around 35 million years ago, they've been sculpted into all kinds of weird and wondrous forms by millennia of erosion. In total, the site covers an area of around 150 hectares criss-crossed by several hiking trails.

Key sights include the Chambre du Roi (King's Chamber), a deep cave inhabited since ancient times, and the Defilé des Garambes , an atmospheric gully shaded by towering holly trees.

The Blue Trail covers 4.4km there-and-back, or you can extend it onto a loop along the Red Path for a total of 6km.

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At equal distance between Nice and Digne on route N202.

What to see

Rich historical heritage: Vers la Ville chapel (with a beautiful view of the village) Vérimande chapel and the house called the Templars house. Bridge with shelters over the Vaïre. Gateway dating from 14th and 12th century, houses with arcades dating from the 17th century.

Leisure activities

Swimming pool. Horse riding. Tennis. Climbing. White water sports (rafting, canyoning, aquatic excursions supervised by a guide). Cross-country skiing (elevation: 1,471 metres). Walking with guide book from the Tourist Office

In a green setting of 1ha by the river, 64 pitches equipped for mobile home or chalet rentals and camping or motorhome pitches. 800 m from the village and close to all amenities.

Accomodations

Hotels . Bed and breakfast. Holiday rentals. Campsite .

NEIGHBOURING TOWNS AND VILLAGES

Le Fugeret (5km), Braux (6km) et Méailles (8km).

Accomodation:

• Hotels in Annot
• Campings in Annot

Main villages of the area:

• Allemagne en Provence
• Digne les Bains
• Esparron de Verdon
• Forcalquier
• Gréoux les Bains
• La Palud sur Verdon
• Méolans Revel
• Montagnac Montpezat
• Moustiers Sainte Marie
• Saint André les Alpes
• Saint Etienne les Orgues
• Saint Julien du Verdon
• Saint Laurent du Verdon
• Saint Paul sur Ubaye
• Sainte Croix du Verdon
• Sainte Tulle
• Simiane la Rotonde

Entrevaux travel guide

Visit Entrevaux (Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, France)

Entrevaux is to the south-east of the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence department and a few kilometres east of Annot .

Explore Entrevaux

France This Way review: a medieval village, Entrevaux is very picturesque, in a raised position above a bend in the river Var, and surrounded by the craggy slopes of the lower provencal mountains.

The town is entered by way of a narrow ancient bridge and through a gate in the fortified walls (in all there are three of these medieval gateways in Entrevaux).

Inside the walls you will find a warren of winding streets lined by ancient houses to explore, passing shady squares and babbling fountains. Many of the houses have interesting features - be sure to amble up the narrow side streets to get a real feel for the village.

The 18th century oil mill still operates (unusual even in Provence) while another notable feature is the sundial on the Maison Fulconis which has been keeping locals informed of the time since the 16th century. You will also notice a communal bread oven - called a 'four banal' because it was once the only bakers in the village and residents had to buy their bread their at prices set by the local gentry.

You will reach the small Entrevaux 'Cathedral of Notre-Dame de l'Assomption' at the end of the town - it is still referred to as a cathedral although the 17th century church lost the official role in 1790. Pass through the carved stone entrance to see the ornate choir inside, and the 18th century organ.

After exploring the village head for the 11th century citadelle at Entrevaux that stands high on a rocky outcrop above the village. The citadelle (fortified by Vauban in the 17th century) is reached by a steep (and hot!) path that climbs up the edge of the rock. The views back down to the village from the citadel make the climb worthwhile.

Back down in the village, Entrevaux also has a very unusual small museum dedicated to mopeds and small motorbikes, with the exhibits dating back as far as the 1920's.

In the vicinity

One curious sight known as the 'elephants' can be seen if you follow the RN202 out of Entrevaux. These are substantial stone bridges built to safely carry floodwater across the road and railway line and into the river below, and to avoid flooding.

A popular way to reach Entrevaux and to see more of the surrounding countryside is to take the 'Train des Pignes' - perhaps to nearby Annot (operates summer only). The village of Castellane is also nearby and merits a visit.

You can find more travel ideas in the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence guide and the Provence guide .

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The small village of Annot is most unusual, being built around great boulders in the heart of the village

The small town of Castellane has a pleasant historic centre and is dominated by the cliff and chapel of the Roc

Gourdon is practically the archetypal Provencal village, unmissable by you and by the many thousands of other visitors to the region!

The elevated position of Mons, at 800 metres altitude, means the views across the Mediterranean stretch an extraordinary distance

Colmars-les-Alpes

In the mountain village of Colmars highlights include the Fort de Savoie and fortified medieval gateways

More than 1000 metres above sea-level, it is no surprise that the views are as much part of the attraction as the historic village in Bargeme

... or see ALL recommended places to visit in Alpes-de-Haute-Provence

Address: Entrevaux, Castellane, Provence, 4320, France || GPS coordinates: latitude 43.949, longitude 6.8108

Plan your visit to Entrevaux, Alpes-de-Haute-Provence

Sightseeing & tourist attractions to visit nearby.

• Lac de Castillon: site of natural beauty (23 km)
• Barrage de Castillon: site of natural beauty (23 km)
• Barrage de Chaudanne: site of natural beauty (24 km)
• Le Vallon du Brec: remarkable garden (25 km)
• Arboretum Marcel Kroenlein: remarkable garden (27 km)
• Gourdon : most beautiful village (29 km)
• Grottes de Saint-Cezaire: site of natural beauty (32 km)
• Jardin de la Villa Fort de France: remarkable garden (33 km)
• Lac d'Allos: site of natural beauty (33 km)
• Grasse : secteur sauvegarde (34 km)
• Baou de Saint-Jeannet: site of natural beauty (34 km)
• Col de la Cayolle: site of natural beauty (35 km)

The French version of this page is at Entrevaux (Francais)

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Office de Tourisme d'Annot

Point information à annot.

Place du Germe.

Téléphone : 04 92 83 23 03.

Autres point information aux environs

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