Quintenas: Holiday Apartments and Houses

Quintenas is situated on a gently undulating plateau characterised by pastureland. The Cance Valley runs through a steep gorge approximately 150 metres below the plateau. The church of Quintenas was classified as a historic monument of France by a decree dated 21 March 1910.

Anyone planning a stay in Quintenas may wish to rent a holiday apartment.

Nature

The hiking trails around Quintenas can be used on foot, by mountain bike and on horseback. They are named, marked with small wooden signs and regularly maintained by volunteers.

The Circuit du Pont des Amis circular trail is 5 kilometres long and has an ascent of 50 metres. A section of the Pont des Amis circular trail was levelled in 2020 so that it would be suitable for pushchairs and families could walk there. The Circuit des Presles offers views of the mountain ranges surrounding the Quintenas plain.

The “Les maisons fortes de Quintenas à Ardoix” hiking route passes through the agricultural foothills between Quintenas and Ardoix.

Trails and Structures

The Pont des Amis was built and installed in August 2019 by a volunteer group that restores forgotten paths. A path from Quintenas leads to the Pont du Moulin-sur-Cance, which Marc Seguin had built in the mid-19th century. It is a restored suspension bridge in the heart of nature and is considered one of the first suspension bridges.

Along the route, the Cabane des Fans can be visited with the owner’s permission, as it is located on private land.

History

Saint-Pierre-aux-Liens is a fortified Romanesque church in Quintenas. Its apse dates from the 12th century. The nave, façade and bell tower date from the 14th century and were built as part of the fortification works. The church was partially destroyed in the 16th century. Abbé Bobichon restored Saint-Pierre-aux-Liens to its present form through work carried out between 1827 and 1861.

The historic centre of Quintenas features narrow lanes, vaulted passageways, small squares and former washhouses. The fortified Ravier house stands at the southern entrance to Quintenas. The fortified L’Hotoire farm complex has been preserved in the area around Quintenas’s historic church centre.

There are around ten dry-stone huts in the Quintenas area. They are part of rural agricultural architecture and were formerly used in the fields, particularly in the vineyards, as shelters and for storing work equipment.

During the European Heritage Days, local attractions in Quintenas are presented every year in September. Saint-Pierre-aux-Liens can be visited individually and free of charge without a guide throughout the year. On request, the church, the old village, fountains, crosses and these huts can be visited as part of guided tours.

Getting There

From Annonay, Quintenas can be reached via the RD 578, with an estimated driving time of 10 minutes. Saint-Vallier railway station in the Drôme département can be reached from Quintenas by car in approximately 20 minutes.

More local pages: Montréal, St-Remeze, Saint-Joseph-Des-Bancs, Labastide-De-Virac, Nonières, Chassiers, Planzolles, Baix

To the higher-level travel overview: Ardèche.