Malijai

Malijai

First, Malijai set up on the left banck of the Bléone river then, in the middle of the 13th century, the village developed along the right bank of the river on the traditional "Digne-Sisteron" road which was used from ancient times.

The history of Malijai is closely related to the castle's. Built in 1770 on request of the Noguier Family, the castle renown is linked to Napoleon who stayed there on the night of the 4th to the 5th March 1815, when he got back from the island of Elba. This historical event left a deep impression on the village, hence, nowadays it celebrates the "Napoleon Days" every two years in July.

The castle is typical of the classical elegance of the end of the 18th century. Napoleon I spent the night of the 4th to the 5th March 1815 in the castle when he got back from the island of Elba. Nowadays, the castle houses the Town Hall and the ground floor is an exhibition room in which you can discover a collection of Louis XVI plasterstones. You can also enjoy its formal garden and play bowls under the plane trees.

The Saint-Christophe parish church which was rebuilt in 1839 on the site of the former Notre-Dame d'Espérance de la Bléone Church, has an interesting choir fresco, some stained-glass windows and paintings.

You can cross the Bléone bridge to reach the D8 road along the left bank of the river until Saint-Florent farm (about 5km) to discover, on a steep footpath, the deserted village of Chénerilles, nestled on the edge of the Puimichel plateau.

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•Tourism in the Department • Tourism in PACA • TER PACA • la Route Napoléon • les gîtes ruraux • Millétapes en France

Tourist Office and Mountain Bike Centre of Val de Durance
Ferme de Font Robert - Avenue de la Bastide - 04160 Château-Arnoux
Tél. 04 92 64 02 64 - Fax : 04 92 64 54 55
E-mail : tourisme@la-moyenne-durance.fr
Open from June to September from Monday to Saturday: 9.30am-12.30am and 2.30pm-6.30pm.
Open on Sunday morning in July and August, from 9.30 am to 1 pm.
Open from October to May from Monday to Saturday: 9am to 12am and 2 pm to 6 pm, only on saturday morning.
Open on weekend for mountain bike rentals on request.