town hall of Saint-Antoine-l'Abbaye

The town hall of Saint-Antoine-l'Abbaye sits at the heart of one of France's most beautiful villages, in the Isère department, right on the edge of the Drôme, roughly halfway between Grenoble and Valence. The building faces Place Ferdinand-Gilibert, just steps from the towering Gothic abbey that has shaped this settlement for nearly a thousand years. Marie-Line Longis has served as mayor since April 2022.

Why does Saint-Antoine-l'Abbaye draw so many visitors?

The village owes its fame to an extraordinary medieval story. Around 1070, Jocelin de Châteauneuf carried relics of Saint Anthony the Great here from the Holy Land, and the small settlement then known as La Motte-aux-Bois took on a new identity built entirely around them. Pilgrims soon began arriving in large numbers, seeking relief from a burning, disfiguring illness known as St. Anthony's Fire — what modern medicine recognizes as ergotism, poisoning caused by a fungus growing on rye. The care given to these pilgrims, and the cures attributed to the saint's relics, led to the founding of the Hospital Brothers of St. Anthony in 1095. In 1289, Pope Boniface VIII placed the abbey under the authority of the Antonine canons, and by the sixteenth century the order had grown into a vast network of more than 370 commanderies, hospitals, and priories scattered across Europe.

What can you see around the town hall?

A tight web of medieval lanes fans out from the town hall toward the abbey church, raised in 1297 and fronted by a striking Flamboyant Gothic facade. The entire former abbey complex has been protected as a historic monument since a decree issued on October 15, 1981. The old novitiate building now houses the Saint-Antoine-l'Abbaye departmental museum, dedicated to the Middle Ages, the abbey, and the Antonine order, while the courtyard of the Grandes Écuries holds a recreated medieval garden planted with herbs and species once cultivated by the monks.

Visitors exploring on foot can follow a signposted walking route: about 45 minutes through the historic core, followed by a further 30-minute stretch out into the surrounding countryside.

What events happen throughout the year?

The village calendar stays busy year-round. The first weekend of August brings "Saint Antoine au Moyen Âge," a medieval festival featuring craft demonstrations, a market, and a costumed ball. The third Sunday of January is given over to truffle lovers, with a truffle festival and tasting market. The third Sunday of May hosts a fair of flowers and rare plants, and the third Sunday of August brings a market for antique dealers and second-hand traders.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where exactly is the town hall located? The town hall stands at 62 Place Ferdinand-Gilibert, in the center of Saint-Antoine-l'Abbaye, in the Isère department.

Why is the village called Saint-Antoine-l'Abbaye? The name comes from the relics of Saint Anthony the Great brought here in the eleventh century and from the powerful Antonine abbey that grew up around them.

Is Saint-Antoine-l'Abbaye officially recognized as one of France's beautiful villages? Yes — it has belonged to the Most Beautiful Villages of France association since 2009, and in 2025 it was voted France's favorite village.

What else is worth seeing besides the town hall? Don't miss the abbey church with its Gothic facade, the departmental museum housed in the former novitiate, and the medieval garden in the Grandes Écuries courtyard.