Saint-Georges-de-Baroille can be explored through two very different themes: the Le Bois des Ardilliers circular trail and the village’s pottery tradition. The history of the Chapelle de Baroille and the striking dimensions of the Viaduc de Chessieux add to these. If you are looking for a holiday rental for your stay, this mix offers several areas of interest: landscape, religious history, historic crafts and architecture. When choosing your destination, you can then weigh up whether you would rather focus on a hike or on architectural and cultural history.

Hiking at Le Bois des Ardilliers

The Le Bois des Ardilliers circular trail passes through an oak forest characteristic of the Forez plain. 59 percent of the paths are unpaved. If you consider the nature of the surface when planning your route, you can take this specific information into account.

On the return to Saint-Georges-de-Baroille, the route first follows the Aix and then the Loire. The sequence of the two rivers is as much a part of the description of the circular trail as the oak forest that defines its landscape. Along the way, both the type of forest and the rivers emerge as distinct features of the route.

The landscape around Le Bois des Ardilliers also includes seasonal pools and damp ditches. These provide a habitat for species such as the palmate newt and the agile frog. Wet areas are therefore among the described natural features of the area, alongside its oak trees.

Pottery tradition and local clay

There were once around 25 pottery workshops operating along the local clay deposit in Saint-Georges-de-Baroille. They produced household goods: pots, plates, milk pans and bowls. The workshops thus represent a craft connected both to the area’s materials and to everyday objects.

Clays of different colours from the area were also used. Layering the different earths created highly decorative-looking vases. The distinctive design feature of these pieces is their natural colours and the way they are layered; the history of pottery therefore includes not only functional objects but also this decorative use of the material.

The two sides of the craft are easy to distinguish: pots, plates, milk pans and bowls belong to the traditional household production, while the vases showcase the differently coloured clays and their layering. Together, these details show the variety of ways in which local clay was worked.

Chapelle de Baroille: history and access

The Chapelle de Baroille was once the parish’s main church. After being partially destroyed, the present-day chapel was rebuilt around 1850. Its history also includes the pilgrimage to Notre-Dame de Baroille: held every year on 8 September since the 12th century, it continued until 1952 and resumed in 1997. This sequence of events links a long-standing tradition with a later rebuilding and the revival of the pilgrimage.

The chapel itself is closed, but the garden surrounding it can be accessed year-round. Check access conditions before travelling. This will help you distinguish between visiting the garden and going inside the chapel when planning your visit.

Another chapter in its history is the 12th-century polychrome, relief-decorated lead statue of the Virgin of Baroille. It was sold to the Louvre and exhibited in the Richelieu Wing. This historical information describes a sale and an exhibition without specifying a current display location.

The Viaduc de Chessieux

The form and dimensions of the Viaduc de Chessieux give a concrete impression of its architecture: it is S-shaped, 272.7 metres long and 27.4 metres high. Twelve round-arched openings, each with a span of 20 metres, divide the viaduct into sections. Its S-shape and regularly arranged openings offer a different perspective on the village’s history from its religious traditions or pottery craft.

This leaves you with a range of possible focuses when choosing a stay: the circular trail through the oak forest, with its rivers and wet areas; the working of local clay; the history of the Chapelle de Baroille; and the architecture of the Viaduc de Chessieux. You can choose the aspect that best suits your travel interests.

Discover more destinations: La Tourette, Les Salles, Champoly, Luré, Briennon, La Pacaudière, Veranne, Noirétable.

For the broader travel overview: Loire.