In Aboën, you can explore two hikes with different time commitments. The “Circuit du Saut du Bonson” covers 8 km and takes about 2 hours and 30 minutes. “D’un clocher à l’autre” is 12 km long and takes about four hours. The Circuit starts at Place de l’Église; the longer route begins in front of the church. The approximate walking times differ by around an hour and a half—a practical point to consider when choosing a route.
Two Circular Trails, Two Time Commitments
The “Circuit du Saut du Bonson” is free to access in 2026 and open every day, all year round. Its route winds between hamlets through woods and fields, along dirt tracks and grassy paths. The circular trail also follows the Bonson stream and passes mills and viewpoints. Waterways, rural paths and viewpoints are therefore some of the defining features of this hike.
At 12 km and about four hours, “D’un clocher à l’autre” takes more time; the route is marked in orange. The two figures for distance and duration allow for a direct comparison without treating the hikes as equivalent: the shorter loop takes around an hour and a half less, while the longer one covers four additional kilometres. If you’re planning your time in Aboën, you can start by choosing between the two different walking times.
Notre-Dame: Construction History and Architecture
The parish church of Notre-Dame in Aboën dates from the 19th and 20th centuries. Its elongated floor plan comprises three naves, as well as a groin vault and a rib vault. These terms describe different types of vaulting in the church interior and add to the picture of a building whose construction history spans two centuries.
The current tower also has its own precisely dated history: Julien Dubost designed it in 1933; it was built in 1934 and inaugurated in September. Faverjon, Basile Flattin, H. Céron, J. Richard, Burdin aîné and Paccard fils are associated with the church’s furnishings.
Traces of Rural and Industrial Life
The Lavoir de la Combette was the washhouse where the women of the village used to wash their laundry. This use ended around 1967, after the village was connected to the water supply. This turning point links the building to a specific change in everyday life: washing laundry at the washhouse was part of its former use, which ended when the village was connected to the water supply.
The hamlets are also connected to industrial history. In Le Bedeau, also known as Moulin Vincent, stands the building that housed the first factory founded by M. Montcoudiol. At Moulin Vincent, a hydraulically powered installation supplied a dynamo that generated electricity. The factory and the power installation offer different insights into local industrial history, without conflating an industrial installation with a watermill.
On the “D’un clocher à l’autre” circular trail, you’ll come across rural features such as bachats, also known as livestock watering troughs. In the past, they were used to water livestock after they returned from the pastures. At the hamlet of Fournier, you can view the private medieval Château de Fournier from the trail. Along with the historical traces of everyday life, these stops reveal the different stories to be discovered along the hike.
Discover more destinations: Saint-Symphorien-de-Lay, Saint-Régis-Du-Coin, Marcenod, Bonson, Champdieu, Saint-Médard-en-Forez, Le Cergne, Belmont-De-La-Loire.
For the broader travel overview: Loire.
