Antraigues-sur-Volane, Mountain village in Ardèche, France
Antraigues-sur-Volane is a village built on volcanic basalt rock, positioned where three river valleys meet: Volane, Bise, and Maselande. Stone houses in shades of gray cluster tightly together on steep slopes, with narrow passageways connecting different levels of the settlement.
The medieval village served as the ancestral seat of the Antraigues family, a local noble lineage with considerable regional influence. The castle's keep was later converted into the bell tower of the parish church and remains a defining landmark today.
The name comes from the Volane river that flows through the surrounding valleys and shapes the landscape. The narrow, winding streets reflect how medieval residents adapted their daily life to the steep mountainous terrain.
Exploring on foot at a leisurely pace works best, as you navigate the narrow alleys and discover the many lava stone sculptures scattered throughout. The steep terrain demands sturdy footwear, and climbing between different levels is part of any walk through the village.
The village displays around seventy stone sculptures carved from lava rock, scattered throughout its narrow streets and created by a local artist. This unusual collection transforms the streets into an open-air gallery found nowhere else in the region.
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