La Fouillouse: Holiday Apartments and Holiday Homes

The historic tour of La Fouillouse begins at the Chapelle Sainte-Anne. The chapel was rebuilt in 1879 and blessed on 26 July 1885. It was renovated in 2025, with particular emphasis placed on its bell dating from 1589. According to regional historian Abbé Prajoux, the Chapelle Sainte-Anne already stood in 1530 on a cemetery that had been established for victims of contagious diseases.

Anyone choosing La Fouillouse as a destination may wish to rent a holiday apartment.

Culture and History

The first chapel of the Église Saint-Martin was built in the 12th century by the Counts of Forez. The Château de La Fouillouse, or the maison forte located there, was probably built in the mid-13th century by the Counts of Forez; it protected forest workers and the farmers who had joined them and was surrounded by walls and ditches.

A truncated round tower is the only surviving remnant of La Fouillouse’s medieval castle and fortifications. Traces of a Gallo-Roman road also remain in La Fouillouse; it crossed the Furan at a ford and led towards Saint-Rambert and on into Auvergne.

Nature and Landscape

The Furan flows through the valley of La Fouillouse for a length of 5.5 kilometres. At the edge of the town centre lies the 3.2-hectare Parc des Vignes. It includes meadows, woodland and former conifer plantations. Along the path, educational information panels explain the site’s ecological richness, its maintenance and measures to protect biodiversity.

Hiking and Cycling

The long circular trail around La Fouillouse offers more than 30 kilometres of marked paths. It passes through forests and along waterways, offering panoramic views and notable sites. Return options are available from La Bréassière, Les Molineaux, Eculieu and Marnas, allowing the route to be adapted to the desired length or physical fitness level.

The „Croix Perrière – Col des Brosses“ cycling circuit begins in La Fouillouse. It is 85 kilometres long, with a stated completion time of four to five hours. The hilly route features 700 metres of elevation gain and is intended for trained cyclists.

The „Saint-Romain-le-Puy – Rivas“ cycling circuit also begins in La Fouillouse. This circuit is 49 kilometres long and is classified as suitable for families and flat.

Events and Mobility

La Maison Scène offers concerts, shows, theatre, club nights and conferences. For transport connections, La Fouillouse has a TER railway station and regular bus services.

Other places in this selection: Saint-Cyr-Les-Vignes, Saint-Haon-Le-Châtel, Roanne, Andrézieux-Bouthéon, Saint-Laurent-Rochefort, Cleppé, Sauvain and Saint-Sauveur-En-Rue.

To the higher-level travel overview: Loire.