Barret de Lioure

In the most southern part of the Drome, adjacent to the Vaucluse, Alpes de Haute Provence and Hautes Alpes is situated Barret de Lioure, a typical medieval village built on a rock at an altitude of 978 meters. Barret the Lioure overlooks the Vallée de l'Anary with separate rocks as stone piles reaching high above the often cloudless sky and southwest of the majestic mountains of the Mont Ventoux. Barret and its area have a dry and sunny climate, both summer and winter, and counts 2800 sun hours per year.

Barret Lioure is named after the border the community forms historically, geographically and topographically, between the Montagne de Lure - Lioure in Provencal - and Mont Ventoux.
The mountainous landscape surrounding Barrett has a very nice shape with folds that over time were formed by various shifts of the Alps. To continue enjoying the mountains, you’ll have to climb up further from Barrett Lioure via the D542 to: you will arrive at the Col de Macuègne (1068 meters) where you have a breathtaking view of the peaks of the 'Buc' (1441 meter), the 'Bergiès' up to the north (1367 meters), the Col du Negron (1397 meters) up to the west and the Col de l'Homme Mort (1213 meters) to the south, surrounding 42 peaks of over 1000 meters! A spectacular view garantueed!

The area of the Barrett Lioure is ideal for walks. Almost half of the town consists of forests – le Tay, les Clots and l'Ubac - with a mix of beech, oak and pine trees where you can find some refreshment during summer. Several trails lead you to places where you have a fantastic view over the Alps, the Mont Ventoux and Montagne de Lure. Montagne de Bergiès, which dominates the village, is a renowned spot for paragliding enthusiasts and can be reached from the Col de Macuegne.

Barrett was in the past protected by a boundary wall with three gates that gave access to the small village - one of which has been preserved - with seven arched sections of 84 meters long! In the middle of the village is located the Romanesque-style church, probably built around the year 1000 - a stone in the north wall of the church bears the date 990 (CMXC). In 1959 the church collapsed due to lack of maintenance and was rebuilt in the early sixties of the last century on the old foundations.

The area of the Barrett Lioure is rich in water resources. Various sources find their origins, the Genissaux in particular, providing the surrounding villages of Montbrun-les-Bains, Reilhanette Barrett and of course the Lioure with water. Two rivers are arise around the village: the Anary, a affluent of the Ouvèze which overflows in the Toulourenc and Méouge, an affluent of the Durance that leads to the Buëch.