The municipal walking trails offer a direct way to explore L'etrat's local history: their themes range from the village's phases of development to the economic growth of the Saint-Étienne basin. Other highlights include a church dating from 1850 and several houses from the 14th century. For planning your day, estimated times are provided for two routes, along with information about all three trails.
Compare walking trails by time
The “L’Étrat d’hier et d’aujourd’hui” walking trail is approximately 5 km long; the stated duration is about 1 hour and 45 minutes. The “Sentier des Crêtes” covers approximately 10 km and takes around 2 hours and 45 minutes. As a rough guide, the difference between these two examples is about 5 km and one hour of walking time.
The three municipal trails range from 5 to 10 km in total and differ in both length and elevation gain. Accordingly, the routes suit walkers with different abilities. When comparing them, consider not only the distance but also the elevation gain and the time frame that suits you.
Choosing a route
At the starting point on Place du Plâtre, opposite the Église de L'Étrat, an information board introduces the three walking trails, their points of interest and their levels of difficulty. At L'Étrat town hall, a five-panel brochure provides maps of the three circular routes, as well as information about notable sites and local history. The board gives an overview of the routes and their difficulty; the brochure adds maps and historical notes. This lets you consider route length and theme together when making your choice.
Themed trails explore different phases in L'etrat's development and the economic growth of the Saint-Étienne basin. If you are looking for a historical focus for your walk as well as a suitable duration, these trails bring both aspects together.
The church and the town's earlier history
The Église de L'Étrat dates from 1850. The narrow, elongated building is designed in a somewhat eclectic style, with predominantly Romanesque elements. It contains a chapel dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, adorned with a sculpture attributed to Fabisch. The architecture and chapel each offer their own historical and artistic points of interest.
Several houses in L'etrat date from the 14th century. Originally, and for a long time, the village was a place of passage, probably little more than a hamlet, on the edge of the paved Roman highway known as the “via strata.” The medieval houses, the history of the village as a place of passage and the 1850 church thus represent different periods in the area's history.
Plan a market visit
The Marché de L'Etrat is held regularly on Sundays at Place du marché; stalls sell fruit, cheese and fish. If you are planning a market visit, check before travelling whether it will be held on your chosen Sunday. This lets you include market day as a separate activity without confusing it with one of the walks.
Discover more destinations: Marcenod, Merle-Leignec, Saint-Jean-Saint-Maurice-sur-Loire, Saint-Germain-Laval, Bonson, Fontanès, Grézieux-Le-Fromental, Pouilly-sous-Charlieu.
For the wider travel overview: Loire.
