Chonas-l'Amballan combines local history with nature: the Château de Chonas and a reconstructed Gallo-Roman road section sit alongside Gerbey Alluvial Forest. When planning a trip, you can explore architectural history, art in the village and nature as separate themes.
Castle history and views
The Château de Chonas dates back to the Middle Ages. At the time, it was a fortress completely enclosed by walls, and in the 15th century it became a country residence. Its development from a fortified site to a pleasure residence illustrates two distinct historical roles of the building. On 12 July 2000, the Château was added to the supplementary inventory of historic monuments.
The south façade stands on higher ground and offers views across the plain and the Reventin-Vaugris valley as far as Auberives, as well as towards the first foothills of the Vercors. The Château thus brings together its historical development and views with precisely identified landscape features.
Historical traces in the village
Beyond the château, individual buildings and works of art also offer clues to the village’s history. The washhouse in Chonas-l'Amballan was built on 11 April 1889. A group of twelve students from Lycée Jeanne d’Arc in Péage de Roussillon created a mural in the village. As a work of art created collectively, it adds another facet to the village’s character alongside its historic buildings.
The reconstructed Gallo-Roman road section adds an ancient layer to the area’s history. It was installed in Chonas-l'Amballan on Friday, 29 March 2024. It consists of granite slabs that are dated approximately to the end of the second half of the 1st century or the beginning of the 2nd century AD. Two dates should be distinguished: the approximate ancient dating of the slabs and the installation of the reconstruction in 2024.
Alluvial forest and trails
In the Espace Naturel Sensible de la forêt alluviale de Gerbey, wet woodland and a reed bed provide a natural habitat for birds. The alluvial forest is also home to the rare Epipactis du castor orchid, which is endemic to the middle Rhône Valley. The area therefore combines a bird habitat with a specific botanical feature.
The area designated for activities is limited to a clearing. A round-trip path runs past a small educational pond to the poplar grove. The Sentier du Milan Noir is a circular route from the village of Chonas-l'Amballan to the water.
On Les Gnolus – L’art et la pranière, the search for a Gnolu is carried out using the free « Les Gnolus » app for iOS and Android: create an account, choose a hike and follow clues to search on site. Check in advance whether the download is currently available.
Weekly market and getting your bearings
The weekly market includes a cheese and dairy products vendor, a pizza vendor, and a butcher, charcuterie seller and caterer. The range of vendors may change. The market offers another glimpse of everyday life in Chonas-l'Amballan.
A nearby hiking trail has heritage information boards, an orientation board and trail markers linked to an accompanying booklet. As installations may be updated, it is advisable to check before setting out whether the boards, markers and booklet are available on site.
Discover more destinations: Saint-Just-de-Claix, Rencurel, Chamrousse, Montalieu-Vercieu, Saint-Pierre-D'allevard, Crémieu, Pisieu, Vaulnaveys-Le-Bas
For the broader travel overview: Isere.
