Visiting Annonay with your family
How do you keep children entertained while discovering a city's history? That's the challenge taken up by a family of visitors who came to spend a few days in Annonay. Between medieval streets, industrial remains, and the history of hot air ballooning, they tested the Heritage Trail for you and share their experience.
Angel SalazarA visit that the whole family enjoys
During our last stay in Annonay, we wanted an outing that would appeal to the whole family. Not necessarily a museum or a traditional guided tour, but rather a walk that would allow the children to move around while discovering some surprising anecdotes. That's how we came to try out the Annonay heritage trail.
Following in the footsteps of history
Starting from Place des Cordeliers, we pick up the map before heading into the streets of the old town. Very quickly, the first signs catch the children's attention. They discover that right here, in 1783, the Montgolfier brothers launched the very first hot air balloon in history. It's hard to imagine that this adventure, which would go on to conquer the skies, began in this very square!
Angel Salazar
Angel SalazarHead towards the old town
We continued our walk with a stop at the Valgelas Bridge. Its humpback shape greatly amused the children, who ran back and forth across it for several minutes. The stroll continued towards the old town center and its sometimes steep streets. The children enjoyed searching for architectural details while we took advantage of the peaceful atmosphere.
As we travel along the route, we discover a city quite different from the image we had of it. Behind the facades lies an incredible industrial history: the hides that once dried along the rivers, the paper mills, the revolutionary inventions of Marc Seguin… Each stage tells a piece of this adventure.
What we particularly appreciated was how the tour constantly alternated between heritage sites, anecdotes, and views of the city. The children didn't notice the two hours passing, especially when it came to imagining the first aeronauts or spotting the remains of the old fortifications!
Our advice on the route
- Stop by the Annonay Tourist Office before you leave to get the plan in paper format (or in English upon request)
- Annonay is a city of stairs! A baby carrier will be more suitable than a stroller for exploring the city.
- Throughout the year, we find the the market on the Place de la Liberté on Wednesday and Saturday mornings.
- In summer, the fountain in the Place des Cordeliers offers a refreshing respite. The surrounding bars and tea rooms provide opportunities to have a drink ou to eat an ice creamThe carousel allows even the youngest children to enjoy a ride!
Angel SalazarStop at Mignot Park
Angel Salazar
Angel Salazar
Angel SalazarDuring our walk, we stopped at Parc Mignot , a true haven of greenery in the heart of the city. In spring, the flowerbeds offer a particularly pleasant setting to relax for a few minutes. While the children enjoyed the playground, we took the time to stroll along the paths and admire the colors of the season. A welcome break for the whole family before continuing our exploration of Annonay!
