Discover the village of Chabeuil near Valence

Situated in the Drôme department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, the tourist village of Chabeuil near Valence has many sites of interest to discover on your own, as a couple, with family or friends, during a day or weekend out on the town. With its imposing tower, rich buildings and typical market with local specialities, this ancient medieval town between the river and the hills is sure to surprise you.

The historic heritage of Chabeuil near Valence

• The town hall, built in 1877, is neo-Gothic in style. It was designed by the architect Ernest Tracol, who also played a major role in the construction of the town of Valence (Café des Boulevards, Nouvelles Galeries, etc.). Built from Italian-inspired Peyrus stone, there was a real desire at the time to demonstrate the success and prosperity of Chabeuil. The magnificent 1903 campanile also bears witness to this rich past.
• The tower, located at the entrance to the village, is quite simply monumental; it is the only one left of the 3 that once existed. You can see a defence system typical of the medieval period: machicolations, portcullis, guard room, beam holes, etc. It is listed as a Historic Monument.
• La montée du Barda is a cobbled staircase once used by the chevaliers Dragons as they made their way to their billets with their equipment, or “barda”, hence the name of this staircase.

Photo Page Facebook Ville de Chabeuil

• The church of Saint-Jean-Baptiste and the bell tower of Saint-Andéol, the latter being the last vestige of the 12th-century parish of Saint-Andéol, on whose site the church of Saint-Jean was built. The curiosity of this church lies in its Greek cross shape with its four branches of equal length, a shape that is completely uncommon in the region. Another special feature of this church is a painting of the Virgin Mary, a gift from Napoleon III, which can be found inside the church.
• The Four Banal is where the locals used to bake bread.

Also worth seeing: the former Chabeuil secondary school, built in the early 17th century, the former Ursuline convent with its Louis XIII gate, an old cemetery in the convent enclosure, the fortified square, the Mazet fountain, the church…

The Princes of Monaco and Chabeuil

Photo Page Facebook Ville de Chabeuil

What’s the connection? Well, the Princes of Monaco were the lords of Chabeuil from 1789 onwards. As such, they used the Hôtel des Princes de Monaco in rue Correcterie as their second home.

Another anecdote about the Monegasque family: their coat of arms was once carved on the door of the Tower, which is still standing today. It was replaced by a war memorial in 1921.

Remarkable or picturesque sites in Chabeuil

1. Troglodyte dwellings

The Gontarde hill has been converted into a troglodyte dwelling in certain places, including a wall with a door and 2 high windows.

2. The underground passages

These are ancient galleries dug into the rock in medieval times, providing access to several strategic locations in Chabeuil. These tunnels can be found under the houses in the old village and in the hillside. They have been used for a variety of purposes over the years: balms, ice houses, silos, housing, workplaces for craftsmen, refuge during the Second World War, etc.

3. The panorama

The terrace at the top of the Gontarde hill offers a magnificent view to the west of the village and the Vivarais hills in the distance.

4. The weekly market

The weekly market is held in Place de la Poste on Tuesday mornings from 8am to 1pm. It’s a traditional market offering many local specialities, including caillette and Pangée. In all, there are around 40 stalls lining the banks of the river Véore.

Chabeuil’s culinary specialities

There are 2 that you’ll find almost exclusively in Chabeuil:

1. Pangée

This cake symbolises the union of the continents. Originally, Chabeuil was considered to be the centre of the separation. The missing piece represents the rift that opened up in Pangaea, causing the continents on Earth to separate. This cake is made with apricots, almonds and honey, and has always been presented in a wooden box.

This pastry can be found in Chabeuil and Baume-Cornillane.

2. Caillette

The caillette de Chabeuil has the particularity of being richer in meat than the caillette from Ardèche or Provence. Made from pork, Swiss chard and spinach, a brotherhood has been set up to preserve this ancestral recipe: the “Confrérie des Chevaliers du Taste-Caillette du pays de Chabeuil”. This small, round pâté, which can be eaten cold with a salad or hot with a potato gratin, is celebrated at the Caillette fair. Local specialities and entertainment are on the menu.

3. Cabeo’lune beer

A brewery in the heart of the village offering home-made beer made from organic barley from the Drôme. Cabeolum was the Latin name for Chabeuil.

Private gardens

1. Le Clos fleuri

A 450 m2 garden in the romantic English style, with its many fragrant rose bushes surrounded by rare plants and many other flowers, a pond with koi carp, the sound of water and birdsong…

2. A palette of colours

A 5,000 m2 landscaped garden featuring several paintings of different colours and moods, a water basin, a medieval vegetable garden, succulents and perennials, and Mediterranean plants.

3. Les iris du grand barbu

At the foot of the Vercors mountains, this garden is home to no fewer than 600 varieties of bearded iris in all shapes and colours, which you can walk around. It’s a veritable festival of colour, visible in May when the irises are in flower. French, European, American and Australian hybrids, as well as the owner’s own creations.

Hiking

The two foxes trail

This 5km trail is very easy for all the family, starting and finishing in Chabeuil. It takes in a variety of aquatic environments: the Véore riparian forest, the fishing pond and the sensitive natural area of the Bachassier wetland.