Les Noës lies in the Tâche Valley between the Croix du Sud and Croix Trévingt mountain passes. Three themes can help you find your bearings: the Tourbière de Font blanche peat bog, marked circular walking trails of varying lengths, and the cultural heritage associated with Jean-Marie Vianney. There is also La route magique, where a stretch of road creates an unusual optical impression. This lets you plan your time around your particular interests: nature and views, walking or local history.
Peat Bog and Landscape
The Tourbière de Font blanche is located in the hamlet of La Verrerie, 42370 Les Noës. From this hamlet, the peat bog can be reached via the RD 478. Access arrangements may change, so check access information before your visit. The peat bog is 4,000 years old and shaped like a domed mound. Several viewpoints in Les Noës offer impressive views of the Rouchain dam and the Roanne plain. Walking trails pass through forests and meadows, as well as by rocks and streams. The landscape therefore includes not only the peat bog, but also a variety of features you can encounter along the trails.
Comparing Circular Walking Trails
To choose a walk, you can compare the distance, ascent and stated duration directly. L’Avoine is a marked circular trail in Les Noës: it is 9.0 km long, has 310 m of ascent and a stated duration of 2 hours 30 minutes. The route is rated difficult. La Grande Borne is also a marked circular trail rated difficult; it covers 13.0 km, has 550 m of ascent and a stated duration of 3 hours 45 minutes. In comparison, La Grande Borne is 4 km longer, has 240 m more ascent and takes 1 hour 15 minutes longer. Both routes are rated difficult, so L’Avoine’s shorter distance should not be mistaken for an easier rating. The figures can help you estimate the time needed for the walk and the amount of ascent. Route information may be revised, and markings and conditions may change. Check the latest route information before setting out.
A Roadside Curiosity and Other Activities
La route magique is a natural curiosity. Along its 300 m stretch, the road appears to go uphill, although it actually goes downhill—or vice versa. The stretch lies beyond Les Noës, between the D42 and the hamlet of Les Robins. Unlike the circular walking trails, its appeal lies in the contrast between the apparent incline and the actual descent, rather than in comparing distance and ascent. Archery is another leisure activity available in Les Noës. If you plan to take part, check the local arrangements before you leave.
Local History and Remembrance
The Oratoire des Noës is a granite oratory built by local residents in 1888. It bears an image of the Curé d’Ars, Jean-Marie Vianney. Vianney stayed in Les Noës in 1810–1811 and later became known as the Curé d’Ars. His stay gives the place a special significance in the veneration of the saint. On the first Sundays in August, Les Noës commemorates the Curé d’Ars at the Oratoire des Noës and at the statue at the village entrance from the direction of Renaison. Check the dates before your trip. The history of La Grande Borne also includes Marymbe: this important hamlet on the ridge of the Rouchain Valley was the starting point of the great pilgrimage route to La Madeleine.
Discover more destinations: Saint-Just-En-Chevalet, Firminy, La Fouillouse, Chambœuf, Chavanay, Fontanès, Juré, Mars
For the broader travel overview: Loire.
