The town, which is said to have been founded by Charlemagne and now has around 1,800 inhabitants, was first mentioned at the beginning of the 12th century and was the ancestral seat of a noble family of the same name, which played an important role in the French Wars of Religion in the 16th century. The old town lies on a west-east ridge south of the Beaume. The best way to cycle is from the west via the Avenue d'Auzon to the old town, or you can park your bike below (e.g. at the Carrefour, opposite the "Office de tourisme") and walk up. It is a good idea to stroll through the central Avenue d'Auzon or Grand Rue and Rue St. Anne and to make a detour into the alleys branching off from it. In the narrow streets there are many small shops and one or the other art studio. Below the town church of St. Pierre, there is a particularly beautiful square, the Square François André, where you can have a coffee under the old trees. Also recommended are the macaroons, a local pastry specialty of the city. The town church of St. Pierre has a baroque nave and a gothic chancel. As is so often the case, the old equipment was destroyed during the revolution. In the former "Collège des Oratoriens" (founded in 1620), directly to the north of the church, is the "Castanea", a museum in which the extraction and processing of chestnuts, which is typical for the Ardéche region, is documented. The castle of the Dukes of Joyeuse to the east is a largely unadorned Renaissance building from the 16th century and today serves as the town hall.