The Domaine du château de Sarron in Fourneaux has been listed as a Historic Monument since 29 June 2000. The protected Domaine du château de Sarron includes the château, chapel, former moats and enclosing walls, terrace, outbuildings, kitchen garden, canal in the meadow, meadow and pond below the château.
Culture
The Château de l’Aubépin is also partly classified as a Historic Monument and partly listed as a Historic Monument; it also benefits from full protection. It was restored in the Italian Renaissance style in the 16th century. The Château de l’Aubépin is surrounded by a French garden designed by André Le Nôtre.
Private visitors can visit the Château de l’Aubépin every year in September during the European Heritage Days. The Circuit du Château de l’Aubépin provides an opportunity to see at least four historic and religious monuments. It also leads to a washhouse, a convent and the Chapelle Montcizor, which are among the elements of the area’s minor heritage.
Renting a holiday apartment in Fourneaux can be part of planning your personal stay.
Circular Trails
The Circuit du Château de l’Aubépin is an 18 km loop between the Loire and Rhône rivers. Also running between the Loire and Rhône is the Circuit de la Reine, a 10 km loop open to everyone. It follows old routes of the former royal road and draws on the local history of the queen’s accident.
The Circuit de Passinge is an easy family circular trail through the Passinge valley, ascending to the highest point in Fourneaux and continuing through the forests.
History
Fourneaux already appears in old written sources dating from 1020 and is described as one of the oldest villages in the Roannais. The historic parish of Fourneaux was divided between the two lordships of Les Forges and l’Aubépin; their boundary ran precisely through the middle of the church.
The Maison forte de Passinge is considered a fortified building; at its base, the walls are in places more than one metre thick.
Local Tradition
At the Fête de la Groasse, the local Grouasse is a roughly two-year-old hen that is very fat and not too tough, and is cooked in large cauldrons. According to historical descriptions, the Fête de la Groasse took place on the last Sunday in September, close to the feast day of Saint Michael, the patron saint of the municipality.
