Beaujolais

Although Beaujolais is known for its wine, made famous each year by the Beaujolais Nouveau festival, the region certainly has other natural treasures to share. Its agricultural and traditional heritage featuring beautiful medieval cities and gently rolling hills makes a superb rural destination a stone's throw from Lyon.

With hillsides covered with vineyards, the wine trail meanders through scenery scattered with castles and chapels. If you prefer to leave your car behind, several green routes make walking or cycling an attractive option. Whatever your chosen itinerary, you will benefit from exceptional views, particularly on higher ground. At an altitude of 330 feet, Mont Saint-Rigaud is the highest point in Beaujolais, with its wooden tower from where you can look out across the horizon. Apart from its natural beauty, Beaujolais has an abundance of medieval buildings, such as Eglise de Belleville or Château de Jarnioux, which date back to the twelfth and thirteenth centuries respectively. To the south, the yellow limestone villages take on a warm terracotta hue, which gives them their unique charm. Given its pretty nickname of "Pearl of Golden Stones", Oingt is a beautiful medieval city for you to discover.

Thanks to its heritage and its countryside, Beaujolais is suitable for pleasant family outings or trips with friends. Children are particularly spoilt with tailored-made activities. Activity trails, such as the mystery of the castles of Azolette or the puzzle of Ouroux, allow younger visitors to take charge of your tour. They will also enjoy discovering agricultural trades and meeting the animals on educational farms in the surrounding area. Finally, you can find a variety of museums celebrating local heritage and handicrafts, including the wine-making museum in the hamlet of Dubœuf.

As it is situated near Lyon, Beaujolais benefits from a good transport network, whether by plane (into nearby Lyon-Saint-Exupéry airport) or by train into Lyon's two TGV stations. Several major roads cross the region, with the A6 motorway travelling from north to south. Bus links guarantee good communication between the towns and villages.

No matter how you travel to Beaujolais, a car is very handy for getting the most out of this area.