town hall of Châteauneuf-Val-Saint-Donat

The town hall of Châteauneuf-Val-Saint-Donat serves as the seat of local government for a small commune in the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence department, in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region of southeastern France. The building stands at coordinates 44.0934 N, 5.9487 E, at the heart of a commune now home to just over 500 residents, known locally as Chabannais.

Where is Châteauneuf-Val-Saint-Donat located?

The commune belongs to the arrondissement of Forcalquier and the canton of Château-Arnoux-Saint-Auban. It sits roughly 11 km southeast of Sisteron, one of the larger towns in the area, amid the limestone hills of Haute-Provence. Its neighboring communes are Montfort, Aubignosc, and Mallefougasse-Augès. The terrain is mountainous, with elevations ranging from 480 to 1,458 meters across a compact territory of about 21 km².

What does the town hall and its surroundings look like?

Like most small French communes, the town hall houses the mayor's office, the council chamber, and the civil registry desk where residents handle administrative matters. Frédéric Drac has served as mayor since 2020, leading a municipal council of 14 members. The commune itself is a typical example of rural Provence: scattered settlement clusters built around former villages, surrounded by pastures and forested mountain slopes.

Is it worth a stop while touring the region?

Châteauneuf-Val-Saint-Donat is not a destination in its own right for most travelers, but it makes a useful reference point for anyone exploring the area around Sisteron and the Durance valley. The commune's name, combining "Val" and "Saint-Donat," reflects a pattern common across this part of Provence, where many place names still carry traces of older administrative divisions and local patron saints. The town hall itself, as a public administrative building, holds no tourist function, but it remains a natural landmark for orientation and basic local information.

The countryside around Sisteron is known for its mountain scenery, the gorges carved by the Durance river, and traditional Provençal rural architecture — stone houses, tiled roofs, and narrow lanes. Châteauneuf-Val-Saint-Donat, small as it is, fits squarely into that landscape as one of the region's many farming communes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where exactly is the town hall of Châteauneuf-Val-Saint-Donat? It is located in the commune of Châteauneuf-Val-Saint-Donat, in the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence department, about 11 km southeast of Sisteron, at coordinates 44.0934 N, 5.9487 E.

How many people live in the commune? The commune has a population of just over 500 residents, making it one of the smaller communes in the region.

Who is the mayor of the commune? Frédéric Drac has held the office of mayor since the 2020 municipal elections, supported by a council of 14 members.

Which arrondissement and canton does the commune belong to? Châteauneuf-Val-Saint-Donat belongs to the arrondissement of Forcalquier and the canton of Château-Arnoux-Saint-Auban.