Saint-Montan travel guide
Visit Saint-Montan (Auvergne Rhône-Alpes, France)
Photo Gallery Book a visitThe village of Saint-Montan is located in the southern Ardeche, north of Bourg-Saint-Andeol. It is inscribed as an Ardeche 'village of character'.
It is interesting to note that almost the entire medieval village had fallen to ruin and was completely uninhabited until the 1970's when a major project of rebuilding began which took many years and involved thousands of volunteers.
So almost all the old village of Saint-Montan we love today is less than 50 years old, but rebuilt using traditional techniques and materials!
Explore Saint-Montan
This small hillside village has a castle at the top of the hill with the narrow streets of the village sprawling below, and continuing down to the small river and a few shops and restaurants commerces at the bottom.
The old part of the village is not accessible to cars, and has been extensively renovated. It consists of a maze of steep cobbled alleys and paths, vaulted passageways, and a great deal of picturesque old houses.
At the top of Saint-Montan the medieval castle is very extensive - almost as large as the village itself - and you can see the substantial walls and several towers.
Throughout your visit there are lovely views across the rooftops of houses in Saint-Montan and the surrounding hills. (The village was perhaps more reminiscent of a Provencal perched village than the other Ardeche villages of character.)
There are also two small 'roman' style chapels to visit - the chapels of San Samonta and Saint-André de Mithroys.
Although only a small village there are various restaurants and other shops in Saint-Montan, in and around the main square below the old part of the town and in the lower parts of the ancient streets.
France This Way review: parking was very difficult in Saint-Montan (there was insufficient parking for the number of cars in May, so what must August be like?!), and when I'd reached the castle at the top of the hill there was a sign pinned to the door saying 'for castle keys ask at the shop at the bottom of the hill'...
...but despite these problems I have to concede that Saint Montan was an unmissably atttractive little village, but I recommend you arrive early to avoid spending hours in the car getting hot and bothered.
Attractions nearby
Various marked walks and trails are available in the hills around the village to enable visitors to better discover the surrounding countryside.
On leaving Saint-Montan I followed the winding road out of the village towards Larnas. This is a very scenic route winding up into the hills and is also recommended. Bring a picnic!
If you enjoy visiting ancient villages we suggest you also include Alba-la-Romaine to the north of Saint-Montan and Aigueze to the south as part of your itinerary as well as a drive along the north rim of the Gorges de l'Ardeche.
You can find more travel ideas in the Ardeche guide and the Rhone-Alpes guide.
Photos of Saint-Montan
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Hotels in Saint-Montan
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Map of Saint-Montan and places nearby
Visit near Saint-Montan with France This Way reviews
Viviers
The town of Viviers contains some interesting buildings and a nice view across the Rhone, although the town is also rather neglected in places
Viviers guide
La Garde-Adhemar
Lovely views, a medieval garden, a 12th century roman style church are just some of the highlights in La Garde-Adhemar
La Garde-Adhemar guide
Alba-la-Romaine
Larger than many of the Ardeche villages, Alba-la-Romaine also has a very picturesque historic centre to explore
Alba-la-Romaine guide
Gorges de l'Ardeche
The Gorges de l'Ardeche are one of the most scenic highlights in France, whether following the road along the rim or canoeing along the river
Gorges de l'Ardeche guide
Aigueze
The pretty village of Aigueuze, listed among the 'most beautiful villages in France', also has great views across the Gorges de l'Ardeche
Aigueze guide
Montelimar
The town of Montelimar is famous worldwide for its nougat - be sure to sample some!
Montelimar guide... or see ALL recommended places to visit in Ardeche
Address: Saint-Montan, Bourg-Saint-Andéol, Privas, Rhone-Alpes, 7220, France || GPS coordinates: latitude 44.4406, longitude 4.62583
Plan your visit to Saint-Montan, Ardeche
Sightseeing & tourist attractions to visit nearby
- Viviers: secteur sauvegarde (7 km)
- La Ferme aux crocodiles: zoo or wildlife park (11 km)
- Jardin des herbes: remarkable garden (11 km)
- Eglise de Saint Michel (La Garde-Adhemar): religious monument (12 km)
- Grotte de Saint-Marcel: site of natural beauty (14 km)
- Cathédrale Notre-Dame (Saint-Paul-Trois-Chateaux): religious monument (15 km)
- Réserve naturelle nationale des Gorges de l'Ardèche: site of natural beauty (16 km)
- Aigueze: most beautiful village (16 km)
- Abbaye d'Aiguebelle (Montjoyer): religious monument (18 km)
- Gorges de l'Ardeche: grand site of france (19 km)
- Vogue: most beautiful village (21 km)
- Balazuc: most beautiful village (21 km)
The French version of this page is at Saint-Montan (Francais)