Activities and Attractions

Belleville (2 miles / 3kms away)
It is situated along the main traffic links and is the ideal starting point for a tour of the Beaujolais and its great wines. Founded in the 12 th cebtury by Humbert III, the Sire of Beaujeu, Belleville quickly grew into a centre of trade and commerce, thanks to its traders, barrel-makers and river port. Two monuments bear witness to its rich past, the church of Notre-Dame and the Hôtel-Dieu.

The city also often enjoys a more modern and sporty atmosphere when it hosts a stage of the Paris-Nice cycling race and the yearly international Montgolfiades (hot air ballons) in the Beaujolais, to the great amusement of the young and old.

Le Beaujolais (3miles / 5 kms away)
Everybody knows the Beaujolais is worldwide famous. Spreading from the North of the Rhône Département to the South of the Saône-et-Loire Département, this region is worth visiting, staying and even touring. Beaujeu is the historic capital of this old French province, hence its name, but the current official capital is Villefranche-sur-Saône.

Château de Fléchère - Fareins (5 miles / 7kms away)
It is a remarkable monument. Another interesting thing about it is that it has always been a Protestant temple.

La Basilique, église du St. Ars-sur-Formans (16 km)
When the Curé of Ars, St. Jean-Marie Vianney, first saw the modest church of Ars, it looked like most Romanesque churches in Ain. One of his first concerns was to restore the building.
The choir section is all that is left of the 12th century church and it is too small to welcome today's crowds. The side chapels ordered by the Curé of Ars bear witness to his zeal and devotion.
Before dying, he approved the expansion plan of the Basilica which he wished to dedicate to Saint-Philomena. Bossan, the Fourvière Basilica architect, later carried out the plans. The church now hosts the preserved body of the Holy Curate in a shrine.

Châtillon-sur-Chalaronne (9 miles / 15kms away)
Between the Dombes and the Bresse near the Beaujolais hills, Châtillon-sur-Chalaronne is a small town which enjoys economic and business dynamism, along with a rich cultural and historical heritage, a most enjoyable living and natural environment. It is listed among the green holiday resorts, a winner of the National Prize for its floral contribution, a 4-flower city, listed 'one of the most beautiful detours in France', and was awarded the 'City and the Applied Arts' label.

La Dombes (10 miles / 16 kms aways)
It is a wide plateau with clay soils and a thousand ponds which extends the lands of Bresse towards the South. With the plateau gradually subsiding on the southern, eastern and western sides, the Dombes joins the valleys of the rivers Rhône, Ain and Saône, meeting its borders at the riverbeds.
Enjoy the guided tours for groups around the ponds of the Dombes to discover the functionning of their ecosystems, the fauna and the flora, hiking with a certified guide through the wild fauna and flora, and visit the ornithological reserve of Villars lès Dombes.

Le Mâconnais (19 miles / 30 kms away)
It is a small region of the Saône-et-Loire lying on the western border of the Massif Central. Its geographic borders more or less correspond to the district of Mâcon. Its major towns are Mâcon, Cluny, and Tournus. Its wines have quite a reputation and wine making is the main economic activity here. Its vineyard spreads from Tournus to the doorstep of Beaujolais.It is the southernest and the largest of all Burgundy's vineyards with 6,500 hectares.

Milly-Lamartine (22 miles / 35 kms away)
Famous French romantic poet Lamartine was born here. The house, built in 1605, is located on a wine estate. The town is so proud of it, it decided to add the name of the poet to its own.

Pérouges (38 miles / 60 kms away)
It is a medieval fortified city built on a promontory of the Dombes, and is listed among the most beautiful villages in France. It is one of the few fortunate places where man's work perfectly blends into nature. Old stone houses where craftsmen, merchants and labourers of the land once lived.
Most houses date back to the 15th century, a time of economic and demographic prosperity .

Lyon (30 miles / 50 kms away)
Known as the Capital of the Gauls, the city was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site. It is must-see for tourists from all over the world and includes the old town, St-John's cathedral, the Fourvière Basilica, the Golden-Head Park ...