Cleppé offers a nature trail at Etang Les Colons, an easy walk between Cleppé and Balbigny, and routes with distinctive riverside and canal features. It also has a Romanesque church tower, an old bell and the only surviving tower of the former castle. For planning, it helps to consider these nature, walking and history themes as different experiences.
Water and information at Etang Les Colons
Etang Les Colons is a body of water on the riverbank. There, the fishing association has created a nature trail with information boards. The attraction combines its riverside setting with an explicitly educational element: the trail and its boards are as much a part of the place as the water itself. Visitors who enjoy exploring nature and information together will find a different focus here than on a walk where the route itself takes center stage.
Walks with different landmarks
The GRP® Autour des Gorges de la Loire: Cleppé / Balbigny runs between Cleppé and Balbigny along the Loire's left bank. It is rated easy and is 9 km long one way. This figure refers to the route in one direction, not the length of a round trip. If you want to plan a walk around a specific distance, you can take these 9 km into account accordingly. Check trail conditions before setting out.
The Circuit de la Tour leads to the Loire and crosses the Béal irrigation canal via a footbridge. Here, two specific points along the way provide orientation: the route to the Loire and the crossing over the canal. By contrast, the GRP can be described in particular by its one-way distance, easy difficulty level and route between two towns. The two routes therefore offer different points of reference when choosing a walk.
Romanesque heritage, a bell and castle history
The oldest part of the Église de la Nativité de la Vierge dates from around the year 1000. This approximate date applies to the oldest section and is not a general construction date for the entire church. Cleppé's Romanesque church tower houses one of the oldest bells in the Forez; it dates from 1446. Thus, an approximate date for part of the building and a specific year for the bell provide two different historical points of reference.
Another trace of the past leads to the Tour de Cleppé. It is the only surviving tower of the former Château de Cleppé. The history of the place can therefore be explored not only through the church and the bell, but also through the surviving tower of the former castle complex.
Randoland and strollers
The Randoland activity in Cleppé is a family-friendly treasure hunt. Historical, architectural and natural features all play a part in the search for clues. The different types of clues draw attention to various features of Cleppé and give the activity its own playful focus.
The Randoland route can be done with a stroller. The Circuit de la Tour is also suitable for strollers, specifically all-terrain models. If a stroller is a factor in your choice, you can consider these details separately: the information for Randoland applies to the route, while for the Circuit, the stroller's all-terrain capability is specified.
Discover more destinations: Saint-Germain-Laval, Jas, Chavanay, La Valla-sur-Rochefort, Rive-De-Gier, Champoly, Marcoux, Saint-Julien-Molin-Molette.
For the broader travel overview: Loire.
