The Forez Lyonnais region

When Paris was just a village, Lyon, formerly called Lugdunum, was a huge crossroads of civilizations and will seduce you as much with its renowned gastronomy as with its history; the discovery of “Old Lyon” is worth the detour. The Festival of Lights on December 8 highlights all its architectural works of art. Go up to the Fourvière basilica and you will have an incredible panorama of the town of Bocuse before finishing in a “Bouchon” in Lyon, a typical restaurant of the place.

When Paris was just a village, Lyon, formerly known as Lugdunum, was an immense crossroads of civilizations, and will seduce you with its renowned gastronomy as much as its history. Discovering “Vieux Lyon” is well worth the detour. The Festival of Lights on December 8 highlights all its architectural works of art. Climb up to the Fourvière Basilica for an incredible panoramic view of Bocuse's city, before finishing off in one of Lyon's typical "Bouchon" restaurants.

The Forez region made the illustrious writer Honoré d'Urfé say "there is a country which in its smallness offers what is rarest".
In Maringes on its gentle hill overlooking the Forez plain, monks had already settled in the year 900 for the sweetness of life. Don't forget to go up to the Chapel St Roch to admire the superb sunsets over the Monts du Forez.
In this very special land, natural fauna has found its place, the wild birds of the Ecopole du Forez , the birds of prey of the Pic de Marcilly , so many treasures to discover.

TThe small Forez plain unfolds to the west into a vast plateau, medium-sized mountains which spread out their mountain pastures from Haut Forez towards Auvergne. Superb priories and a number of hilltop castles are to be discovered.
If you are looking for local holiday experiences, we can suggest visits and activities to the people who bring this region to life, from the Parc du Pilat in the south to the Matagrin Tower in the north.

Shaped by Lugdunum, the ancient capital of Gaul, the dominant balconies of Lyon carry within them the traces of this major civilization. You will discover the Gier aqueduct which runs from Forez to Lyonnais, 86 km long, 72 arches are still standing. Few know that it is the most monumental and best preserved in the entire Mediterranean basin, it brought the precious water of the Gier to the great city. Known since Antiquity, the Voie Bolène Roman road which linked Lyon to Bordeaux via Feurs was one of the most important roads in the Gallo-Roman world.