Siccieu-Saint-Julien-Et-Carisieu brings together two distinct themes to explore: churches and chapels with specific architectural and decorative details, and a landscape of dry grasslands, quarries and ponds. At the Étang de Bas, a trail passes through several types of landscape. You can choose to focus on architectural history or nature.
Churches and chapels: distinctive architectural details
The present-day Church of Saint-Julien probably dates from the late 15th or early 16th century. Two sculpted corbels are preserved in its south chapel. They bear the coats of arms of Aymard de La Poype and Antoinette de Grolée, the lords of Saint-Jullin. A corbel is a structural element that projects from a wall; here, the coats of arms are incorporated directly into these architectural details. Stencilled wheat-ear motifs are also painted in the Chapel of Saint-Julien. They run along the edge of the pointed arch between the nave and the choir, marking a precisely defined part of the church interior.
The Chapel of Saint-Denis–Saint-Blaise has different features. It preserves a semicircular apse and a window in the façade, which may date from the Romanesque period. This dating is only a possibility. The façade also has a portal with a moulded cornice. The tympanum of the small façade window bears a sculpted rosette motif. The apse, portal and window decoration are distinct features that help describe the chapel’s design.
The Church of Saint-Jean-Baptiste offers a later historical point of interest. It was rebuilt in 1892 to replace an older church that had become too small and dilapidated. Work coordinated by the architect Puissant added a monumental clock, decorative paintings and sculptures. Six stained-glass windows were created by Etienne Buche, a glass artist from Grenoble. Unlike the probably late-medieval Church of Saint-Julien, the focus here is on the 19th-century rebuilding and the decorative features mentioned above.
The Château de Saint-Jullin
The Château de Saint-Jullin dates from the 13th century. It was partly destroyed during the Revolution and rebuilt from 1836 by the Comtesse de Chaponay. Additions included a keep. The château overlooks the hamlet of Saint-Julien and the Étang de Ry. It is privately owned and is not open to visitors. As access arrangements may change, check the current rules again before your trip.
Landscape around the Étang de Bas
The Espace Naturel Sensible Étang de Bas et Falaises de Ravières covers more than 60 hectares and is located in the commune of Siccieu-Saint-Julien-et-Carisieu. It comprises a wide variety of natural habitats characteristic of Isle Crémieu. The trail at the Étang de Bas passes through dry grasslands, quarries and ponds. These three types of landscape give the nature theme a tangible focus: rather than a single landscape, you encounter different habitats along the trail. As trail conditions may change seasonally, check them before setting out.
Architectural history or landscape?
For a focus on cultural history, the churches differ above all in their historical periods: Saint-Julien probably dates from the late 15th or early 16th century, the Romanesque dating of features in the Chapel of Saint-Denis–Saint-Blaise remains a possibility, and Saint-Jean-Baptiste was rebuilt in 1892. If you are more interested in landscapes, the sequence of dry grasslands, quarries and ponds along the trail at the Étang de Bas offers a concrete starting point for planning your trip.
Discover more destinations: Bellegarde-Poussieu, Pellafol, Annoisin-Chatelans, Villemoirieu, Saint-Baudille-De-La-Tour, Pont-En-Royans, Saint-Didier-De-La-Tour, Sassenage.
For the broader travel overview: Isere.
