The Essential Guide to Saint-Antoine-l’Abbaye, France

Every year since 2012, the French have voted to crown Le Village Préféré des Français, aka “The Favorite Village of the French.” This year, a little-known commune in the southeast of France made it to the top—and it’s known for its medieval mountain town vibes.

Past winners have included charming villages such as Saint-Cirq Lapopie in France’s Lot department, Rochefort-en-Terre in Brittany, Hunspach in Alsace, and Collioure in the Pyrénées-Orientales department. After the winner is announced, it’s then featured on the hugely popular nationwide television show of the same name.

Located South of Lyon in the Isère départment among the rolling peaks of the Chambaran mountains, is the little village of Saint-Antoine-l’Abbay. The commune is rich in French religious and cultural heritage, and a visit here truly feels as if you’re stepping back in time, with its charming cobbled pedestrian streets and centuries-old stone houses. At the heart of it all is the medieval abbey that gives Saint-Antoine-l’Abbaye its name.

“Saint-Antoine is a tiny little village lost between the mountains and the countryside,” Maryline Longis, mayor of the village, tells Travel + Leisure. 

Formerly known as La-Motte-Saint-Didier, the village took the name Saint-Antoine in the 11th century, when the relics of Saint Anthony the Great were brought to it from Constantinople. Soon after, the Hospital Brothers of St. Anthony, a monastic order founded to care of people suffering from “St. Anthony’s Fire” (aka ergotism) using the relics.

“The village of Saint-Antoine was a major medical and religious center, one that truly combined faith, science, and hospitality,” says Longis. “This history has profoundly shaped the identity of the village, and we have preserved not only the landscapes but that sense of warmth and hospitality. Our guiding principle in the village is really about welcoming visitors well. ” 

Today, with its colorful roofs, Gothic abbey, square, and marketplace, Saint-Antoine-l’Abbaye continues to enchant and charm travelers with its medieval atmosphere.

Here’s what you need to know before planning a trip to Saint-Antoine-l’Abbaye in France.

Best Things to Do

The jewel of Saint-Antoine-l’Abbaye is the Abbaye de Saint-Antoine, with its intricate Gothic facade decorated with carved religious detailing. The abbey’s construction took place between the 12th and 15th centuries, and is no longer home to any religious order.

Along with the church, the sprawling complex also houses a medieval garden and the Musée de Saint-Antoine l’Abbaye, with interactive exhibitions that trace the history of the abbey and the village—it also offers a detailed look into medicines and perfumes in the Middle Ages. The site is open to visitors every day. The tourist office organizes guided visits of the abbey and the village in the summer months, but note that the tours are only given in French.

The first weekend of August, when the annual Le Médiévale Saint-Antoine-l’Abbaye festival takes place, is one of the most exciting times to visit the village. “Troubadours, performers, and singers in period costume, as well as dancing and entertainment for children, come together to recreate a medieval atmosphere,” says Longis.

If you’re also interested in exploring other nearby towns in the French countryside, you’ll find no shortage of options. There’s Saint-Marcellin, a name cheese-lovers around the world will recognize for its round, soft, cow’s milk cheese, as well as Pont-en-Royans with its photogenic sequence of medieval houses perched over a scenic river.

Where to Eat and Drink

This corner of France is renowned for its food-focused towns, such as Saint-Marcellin and Saint-Pierre-de-Chartreuse, which are lauded in gastronomic circles around the world. But there’s one food above all else that the region is famous for.

“What really stands out for us here is walnuts. It’s a real part of our culture,” says Longis.

Both walnuts and Saint-Marcellin cheese are on the menu at La Table de l’Abbaye, a charming restaurant with a stone fireplace, a wood-beamed ceiling, and tables that spill out onto a village square over the summer. Hostellerie Vieux St Antoine has a similarly pleasant setting, with outdoor seating set under a leafy canopy of trees where you can enjoy bistro classics like steak frites (steak and chips) and crepes for dessert.

Open Friday night to Sunday lunch only, Taverne du Bélier Rouge is the restaurant of local farm, Ferme du Saint Sauveur. On the menu are cuts of meats from animals raised on its farm. Sitting down in the dining room itself truly feels like stepping back into the Middle Ages—in the best way possible.

Where to Stay

The main accommodation choices in Saint-Antoine-l’Abbaye are small family-run chambres d’hôtes, or bed and breakfasts, that base you in the heart of the village, such as L’Antonin. The petite inn has five comfortable en-suite rooms and serves a typical continental breakfast of baguettes and jams served on the terrace.

A couple of minutes from the center, the Auberge du Midi’s self-catering apartments were recently renovated and are a great choice for families or bigger groups—the largest can sleep five people. Plus, there’s a lovely terrace for a predinner apéritiv, where you can watch the sun set over the village.

For a property with a little fun factor, don’t miss out on Les Cabanes de Fontfroide, where you can spend the night in a wooden treehouse set amid a centuries-old oak forest. Breakfast and dinners are served beneath the cabins, and the property is a great jumping-off point for hikes and bike rides through the surrounding countryside.