D’Antraigues à Pérouges : au cœur des cités de caractère – Les villages de nos régions – MG
Discovering France
means wandering its cobbled streets, climbing to the top of its most beautiful towers,
tasting its specialties, climbing its trails or sailing on its rivers. It also means meeting its inhabitants,
those who, every day, maintain and strive
to bring our heritage to life. Discovering our country
means immersing yourself in the villages of our regions. Let’s head towards the
Auvergne Rhône-Alpes region. It brings together the former
Auvergne and Rhône-Alpes regions. Its main city is Lyon,
a region that we will cross from west to east. From the volcanoes of Auvergne
to the cliffs of Ardèche and the mountainous terrain of Savoie,
Auvergne Rhône-Alpes shines with the incredible diversity of its landscapes. An ideal destination for sports enthusiasts,
this region also has a rich cultural
and historical heritage and a distinctive terroir. Starting with Salers, with its
world-renowned cows and cheese. Then, Antrec-sur-Volanne,
the land of Jean-Ferrat. Not far from there, you will discover
the medieval village of Vogüé. And right next door, obligatory tours
through the Chauvet cave, in Valent-Pont-d’Arc, the oldest
masterpiece in the history of humanity. Then we will go to Pérouges,
the city that inspired the cinema, before reaching Yvoire,
on the shores of Lake Geneva. We begin our journey in the heart of the Auvergne Volcanoes Park . Perched at an altitude of 900 meters,
let’s explore the village of Salers, located 25 kilometers
from Oriaques, in Cantal. Best known for its cows and
cheese, Salers also has other… And Antoine, a native of the village,
nor his neighbor, would say otherwise. Hello Mr. Gary.
Hello Antoine. Are you doing well ? I was born in Belfry Street and my
parents were shopkeepers and my grandparents were shopkeepers. So actually, I was
on the street all the time. Antoine, I knew him, I held
him, he was just a kid. This village elder lives in the Maison
de la Ronade, a unique residence in Salers. It is the oldest house in Salers,
dating from 1356, so the middle of the 14th century. You won’t be able to
miss this building. It dominates
the main square of Salers from its height. If you are a fan of
Auvergne furniture, you can even visit it upon request. As you stroll through the narrow streets,
you will pass other must-see attractions in the town. Don’t miss the old belfry
or the Bayage house. Everything here is built from
volcanic rock, even the shops and restaurants. It is perhaps the energy
of these volcanoes that we find in the temperament of the Sagraniés,
the inhabitants of Salers. The Sagranies are good-natured people,
they like good food and partying, getting together.
Yes, bon vivants. It’s true. One of Antoine’s favorite places
is the Esplanade de Barrouze, which offers an exceptional panorama. And if you want to treat yourself to a nice
gift, you can book a hot air balloon flight
over the village and its surroundings. It looks really beautiful from here. You can see the church, the belfry,
the entire Salers plateau, the valley. On that day, the wind might carry you
over the famous wash house of Salers. It was here, in 1953,
that Jacky Kennedy, still called Jacky Mouvier at the time,
simply came to do his laundry during a
camping trip in the village. After enjoying the village and the view
over the valley, head to one of the farms open to visitors
to meet the local star, the famous Salers cow. These beautiful cows are renowned for their
creamy meat and especially for their cheese. The cheese made with this milk is
very special because, as with meat,
the diversity of grasses found on the Salers plateau allows
for the production of a specific milk. We can have aromas
of gentian or hazelnut. And if you want to extend your stay
in this haven of peace, we recommend this charming rural cottage. Here, you can recharge your batteries
in caravans or in this cabin with a direct view of the starry sky of Cantal. And let’s wake up in the
neighboring department, Ardèche. Here, we have chosen to present to you,
on a trek on Volane, 14 km from Aubena. This southern-looking village is
an island of tranquility where Bernard lives, who wants to
warn you from the outset. There is no hesitation. The pronunciation is Antraigues,
that is to say it is the Occitan pronunciation. Today, many people say
Antraeg, but I confess that I don’t recognize my village when
it was called that. That’s the first thing you need to
know when you arrive here. That, or rather the fact that Antraeg was
an associate of the author and singer Jean Ferrat, who lived there
for more than 40 years. And it was here, in this square, that he wrote La Montagne, one of the great
classics of French song. A sort of tribute to his
beloved village and its inhabitants. Ferrat was a great lover of boules,
both pétanque and Lyonnaise. Obviously,
when he was in a game, it didn’t take long for a crowd to
gather, but things ultimately happened quite simply. He wanted to be a regular at
Entraillian. During your visit,
visit the Jean-Ferrat house, dedicated to the illustrious poet. Then head below the village
to discover the Rocher du fromage, an astonishing geological feature. Very close to here, there is a volcano which is
one of the young volcanoes of Ardèche, around 40,000 years old. It is a Strombolian volcano
that spewed a lot of lava. Then the torrents, the rivers did
their work and carried away all this lava, except, except,
what, miraculously, remained. But the place dearest to
Bernard’s heart is located much lower down, on the banks of the Volane and the Bise,
two of the rivers that cross the commune. These rivers, whose water is completely
clear, finally, we wait half our day to bathe,
to hunt for trout also, of course, by illegal means and others
which were a little less so. But hey,
it was all just happiness. You too can enjoy this
nature and its riches. You can go and collect
chestnuts with your family on the surrounding paths and discover the
winding roads that border the village and make it a land of rallies. In fact, for around fifty
years, the Monte-Carlo Rally has been passing through Antraigues. Before leaving,
take a tour of Yves’ restaurant, a long-time enthusiast. The good news for the village of Antraigues
for the Monte-Carlo rally is that there is a first event
called the Moulinot in Antraigues and a second event which was
in Burset, which was 15 km from here. And the village was
between these two trials. As the cars pass by his
establishment, Vecuiv tradition offers his famous
apple pie to each driver. And since there were several rallies
taking place during the year, reconnaissance was free. The drivers sometimes forget that they
were in a rally, and they would go and play pétanque in the village square,
they would go and chat with the people of the village, chat with the farmers. A conviviality that will
surely not escape you. And which will certainly make you want
to stay a little longer in these Ardèche lands. Especially when you know that Vogüé is less than 30
kilometers away. This medieval village, which looks like an
amphitheater, will appeal to both history and nature lovers. If you are a kayaking enthusiast, especially
like Jean-Paul, Vogüé is made for you. I always enjoy
discovering Vogüé from my boat and particularly from this
place under the cliffs. It’s quite wonderful,
especially when there’s beautiful light like today, we never get tired of it. It’s time to
explore the heart of the town. Its narrow streets and
limestone houses still bear traces of the village’s history. So here we see that this lintel
has suffered a few chisel blows. We are in a wine-growing region
and to bring in the barrels, well, sometimes being a little wide,
we had to dig the stone a little to make it fit. So there we have the blue stone,
the limestone which comes from the quarries, especially on the lintels,
on the door centers. We find some endemic blocks
that we see here, this small rubble. We find stones
that come from Ardèche. We find basalt,
therefore a volcanic rock. We find granite. And here we can see sandstone that
was used to sharpen knives. Sharp as a tip. Then continue your journey along Rue
des Balcons, where the stonemasons lived in the 19th century. They are the ones who shaped the village,
from the most imposing buildings to the smallest passageway. Apart from the more
common circuits for discovering the village, there are places where you might fall in love. It’s pretty, it’s flowery. There is stone, there are
plants, it is in bloom. Here are some little corners that you
absolutely must discover on your watch. And one of the most unusual
is this one. Whoa!
Wow, that’s narrow. No, madam, we can’t overtake each other. Ca n’t we meet sooner? One of the narrowest streets
in France. Good morning, ladies and gentlemen.
Good morning. Have you dared to go
down Rue des Puces? Yes.
It’s good. And how many years ago is it? Here we are in the
oldest district of Vogüé. It’s 15th. But I learned that it was
also called Yvronia Street. Ah good ? Yes, because if we don’t walk too
straight, we are still well guided. And then, you can’t fall
to the right or to the left. That’s the explanation
I was given. I found her nice. The builders of the village
must have had some experience. As we saw in Vogüé, you can go kayaking,
stroll through the picturesque streets and also go caving. Indeed, the village is renowned
for its numerous cavities. Start by exploring the resurgence
of Pontet, a place also steeped in history. Ladies came here once a year for the big annual wash,
because in winter, for washing clothes, the water was more temperate,
warmer than that of the Ardèche. We also find the stone
for washing clothes, a beautiful Vogüé limestone stone. And here is the workplace
of these brave ladies. It’s still fresh. There we go, we’ll get used to it. You said you’d keep it at 12 degrees,
but that’s still money. There are said to be around fifty cavities like this in the cliffs of Vogüé. So in fact, on the limestone plateau
which adjoins Vogüé, this limestone plateau, it is made up of cracks which are
entirely dug by water and which have formed a network
of underground galleries. So in fact, the
Vogüé plateau is a real Gruyère cheese. About 30 km of galleries
pass under the village. Remains
dating from the Neolithic period have been discovered there. Underground, in fact,
we really manage to keep track of everything
that happens outside. So this is also what makes the village of Vogüé special and rich. The other wealth of Vogüé
is the castle. Its imposing silhouette and four
round towers dominate the entire village. Was it inhabited before?
Yes. Yes.
Yes. Yes.
By whom? A lord.
The Lord of Vogüé. It was called Vogüé, like the village. The Vogüés dynasty has always worked
to preserve and beautify this castle. You can see this for yourself
by visiting it alone or with a guide from April to November. One of the best restored rooms
is this chapel. It’s like a small church. It has a private chapel,
meaning it was reserved. Who was it reserved for?
To the lord. And then to his family. In fact, there are several
colors on the stained glass windows. And in fact, the artist who made these
stained glass windows, he looked around the village a little bit and he said to himself: Hey,
there are some pretty colors in the village, so I’m going to
make the same ones for my stained glass windows. We’re lucky this afternoon
because it’s sunny. And the sun shines through. Look at that reflection there. It’s beautiful, isn’t it? Continuation of the visit
in the inner courtyard. This castle was not always inhabited
by the Marquises of Vogüé, since it was at one point in history. It was a school for
about 120 years. Are you at school
in a castle? No.
No, no. It’s less funny then. It’s less funny, we agree. Where we are,
it was part of the school. It was the playground. Did you come to school here?
No, no. It was the playground. Today,
we are still in a process of restoration, renovation, and
enhancement. I think we all feel the same way. It’s still beautiful. Especially at the end of the day, under
the last rays of the Ardèche sun. Before leaving the department, it is
impossible not to stop at Vallon-Pont d’Arc, barely 20 km away. This is where you can visit one of the
oldest caves in the world: the Chauvet-Pont d’Arc cave. Finally, his reply. Like Lascaux,
for preservation reasons, the original is closed to the public. Valérie, a prehistorian,
works on the site. There we enter the cavern, an
underground landscape, larger than life. We observe the geological beauties
and also the art that these Lorignacian artists left us. Lorignacian is the name given to the
prehistoric men who frequented the cave 36,000 years ago. On the walls, they left a
colossal masterpiece, the oldest in the history of humanity. Here we have these two edges of rocks. Gilles is one of the artists who
worked on reproducing these works. To make the drawings, the simplest thing
was to use the same tools as the artists:
powdered red ochre to make the red color, and painted charcoal for the black
. 36,000 years later, we are
able to reproduce it identically. People, it’s so beautiful. They’re asking the question that… They think it’s been
improved here, in the replica. If I could be there when they say that. A copy more beautiful than the original,
Gilles prefers to laugh about it. In any case, the technical feat is
definitely worth a visit. When you arrive, you will be taken
care of by one of the cave guides. So, we know that among all
rhino species, those with large horns
are more often females. And those who have small ones
are more often males. And if you have children,
they can take part in the many activities offered by the site, such as this
introductory workshop on cave art. Sit there. What are we going to draw
on the wall, children? Animals. Let’s now change departments and head northwest of the region. Here we are in Pérouges, a medieval city
located 40 km from Lyon, in Ain. These half-timbered houses and
pebble streets promise a journey through time. While you’re at it, try to go there
in June or July, because during these summer months,
Pérouges organizes medieval festivals which make the village even more attractive. Listen to Paul, the mayor
of Pérouges, tell you about it. There, we are in the central square
of the village, which was once the liveliest square, where fairs and markets were held
, where there were bistros, where everyone met. It was the festive place par excellence,
the central square of the village. In the middle of this square, a
two-hundred-year-old lime tree planted during the Revolution. And in the Rue des Rondes,
which goes around the village, we go back even further in time,
between the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. At the time, Pérouges was mainly known
for weaving hemp cloth. We are in one of the streets,
we can see the testimonies of the past and the activity of the weavers,
where indeed, on the facades, we see the crows which protrude from the wall
where the wooden bars were placed, where the fabric was left to dry
on these beautiful houses. In addition to these bourgeois houses,
there is another detail, according to this resident, which makes
the town so charming. When we arrive
and go through the door, at that moment,
we automatically change our step. That is to say, we are not walking
on eggshells, but on cats’ heads. Cat heads are pebbles
from the Ain plain that litter the streets of Pérouges. A medieval setting that has
attracted many directors. Georges and Marie-Jo,
two former residents of Pérouges, fondly remember these
filming sessions which often brought village life to life,
such as those of Angélique Marquise des Anges, Monsieur Vincent,
or the Three Musketeers, of which he remembers every detail. There were many
Peruvian extras who knew each other. Even, I’m going to
tell you something terrible. They paid the extras, I don’t know,
10 francs, but there were animals. The cows were paid 20 francs,
were paid more than the extras. Another memorable memory here in Perouges was
Bill Clinton’s impromptu visit to the G7 summit in Lyon. It was in George’s restaurant
that the American president sat down for lunch. Also, it was very complicated
because he was on a diet. And in this Bresse, it was necessary to make a
menu without cream, without butter, without alcohol. And for a Bressan, it’s impossible. But he deviated and
took everything he needed. He even went so far as to add a
little cream to the sugar cake. Like him, if you pass through Pérouges,
make a change from your diet and go and taste the village specialty.
Hello Christophe, how are you? Hello Paul. The sugar cake. In fact, at the beginning of the century,
bread was made in the village oven every Friday and
this day was used to make the galette. It’s light. It takes butter, butter, and butter. Sugar, sugar, and sugar. Then cream and more cream. The galette is sold everywhere here,
often on the vertical shutters of old stalls,
as this trader explains. The upper one served to protect from the sun,
wind and rain, and the lower one where the merchandise was placed. So we tended to put the most
beautiful one so that it would go away the fastest. This is where the expression “
sort on the panel” comes from. All these efforts to present
the heritage, in addition to making visitors happy, are now
benefiting the children of the town. I see hide and seek,
there are lots of hiding places, like a
giant castle, it’s so cool. It feels like we’ve
gone back a thousand years. A journey through time that is
sure to delight young and old alike. To complete this trip
to Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, it is impossible not to enjoy the
enchanting setting of Haute-Savoie. Let’s explore the village
of Yvoire, on the shores of Lake Geneva. Yvoire is 30 km from Anmas,
very close to the Swiss border. A medieval village with its pretty
flower-lined streets and its castle where Yves and Anne-Monique live. Like them, you will enjoy strolling
through this fortified town, while still being at the water’s edge. You know, Yvoire comes
from the Latin aquaria, formerly. Aquaria, aquaire, ivoire,
that is to say where there is water. It’s aquatic.
An evian. Evian, by the way, means
the same thing as ivory. Evian, sink.
A sink. So, it’s the same origin. In Ivory, there is water, but not only that. After a walk around the ramparts,
set off to discover Saint-Pancras Church. Looking up,
you will see its onion-domed bell tower. Its top and hull
are covered in gold. At the bottom of the church,
take a stroll through the Place du Thé, the most convivial square in the village. This is where you can
go shopping. People who come here don’t come here
to call a stuffed marmot. I mean, it’s really
local produce. To eat, to consume. And if you only had to bring back two
ivory products, we recommend the Savoy sausage
with wild boar and Abondance, the local cheese. Unless you prefer to bring back
a souvenir made from local crafts. In these cases,
go to the last basket maker in Haute-Savoie, who will make you
a basket with the most beautiful effect. In the visits department,
don’t miss the garden of the five senses, and guess who will welcome you. Anne-Monique Yves, accompanied
by their team of gardeners. Hello Mathieu, how are you? Everything’s fine, well listen,
the opening will be close. The couple created this garden
almost 30 years ago. Some people would have
liked us to build a parking lot. And in fact, my wife and I
had the idea of transforming this garden into a garden open to the public. On site, you can even taste
certain flowers, smell varieties with surprising scents: soda, chewing gum. And know that your children will even have
the right to pet the plants. It’s a little wet there,
but otherwise, it’s like a blanket. You see? As if we had some bullshit. Before leaving Yvoire,
treat yourself by renting one of its 100% eco-friendly boats
and taking a cruise on the lake. And if you want to enjoy the tranquility
of Lake Geneva, go ashore, that’s possible too. Heading for the dikes. From here you will have a superb panorama
of the snow-capped peaks of the Alps. It’s really our home port. We feel like we’ve dedicated our lives to this. Last stop to see there, the port. Ideal for taking a lunch break
while continuing to admire the landscapes. With the mountains behind, in a way,
it’s a bit like the sea in the mountains, with a village in the middle. So it’s planted between the two. On the menu, fried perch fillets
from Lake Geneva, served with a little lemon cream sauce. It’s certain, we’re not
unhappy to see it. To the health of seeing.
To the health of seeing. This is how,
near the water and the mountains, our journey
in this vast region of Ovier ends. Auvergne Rhône-Alpes. From the volcanoes of Auvergne to Haute-Savoie,
passing through Ardèche, there are countless
magnificent landscapes that make up this region. Ideal for green tourism,
this corner of France will touch you with its blend
of character and simplicity.
L’Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes se révèle pas à pas : volcans d’Auvergne, gorges de l’Ardèche, cités médiévales et rives du Léman.
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Cap sur Salers, village de lave noire, beffroi et esplanade de Barrouze ; montgolfière à l’aube au-dessus des estives et rencontre avec la vache de Salers, fierté du plateau. En Ardèche, Antraigues raconte Jean Ferrat, ses rivières Volane et Bise, ses routes de rallye et ses châtaigniers. À Vogüé, amphithéâtre minéral : ruelles étroites, rue des Puces, kayak sous les falaises, spéléologie dans un “gruyère” de 30 km de galeries, et château veillant sur le village. Passage par la réplique de la grotte Chauvet-Pont d’Arc, chef-d’œuvre d’art pariétal. Puis Pérouges, hors du temps : galets, maisons à pans de bois, mémoire des tisserands et galette au sucre. Final à Yvoire, bourg fortifié au clocher à bulbe doré, jardin des cinq sens et douceur d’une sortie sur le Léman. Patrimoine vivant, terroirs et grands paysages : une région à parcourir, goûter, écouter.
Réalisé par Élodie BOUTIT.
© MORGANE PRODUCTION