Saint-Jean-Des-Vignes offers several clear points of interest for a stay: the view from the Madonna, the architectural history of Château de Pourrières and Église Saint Anne, and the geological history at Fossilea. These attractions also differ in how you experience them: at a viewpoint, at individual buildings, in collections and along walking paths. This lets you decide how to spend your time rather than treating the places as interchangeable stops.
Views from the Madonna
The Statue de la Madone stands on the village’s highest hill and offers a remarkable viewpoint. From Mont Saint-Jean near the Madonna, the panorama extends 360 degrees. Access is via around a hundred steps on Chemin du Mont Saint-Jean, behind number 119; the return journey follows the same steps. So plan for both the ascent and descent if you intend to visit the Madonna.
Buildings with distinct features
Château de Pourrières is a fortified manor house with two square towers. Remains of earlier fortifications are preserved below the east-facing entrance, at the foot of the access path. The manor house’s towers and the fortification remains along the path offer two specific points to focus on when viewing the building.
Église Saint Anne offers a different architectural perspective: the building is Romanesque in origin, while the side chapel is authentically Gothic. The two buildings therefore have different features to highlight: the fortified form and towers of the château, and the Romanesque origins and Gothic chapel of the church.
Collections and park at Fossilea
Fossilea features collections on geology, palaeontology and prehistory. They are presented along an interactive tour, and an immersive area is devoted to oceans of the past. You can choose between a tour of several collection areas and a dedicated focus on the oceans of bygone eras.
Fossilea also includes a landscaped park covering four hectares. Along the path are, among other things, a prehistoric camp, animal sculptures and geological information panels. The outdoor trail leads to a geological fault that bears witness to the formation of the Alps. The park’s features and the fault therefore provide points of interest in addition to the collections.
Botany and hiking
The botanical plantings at Espace Pierres Folles offer another nature-focused attraction: they include a collection of 527 species. The hike at Espace Pierres Folles starts and ends in Saint-Jean-Des-Vignes.
The Fossilea hiking route offers another option. It follows a ridge path to the centre of Saint-Jean-Des-Vignes and offers views of the Saône Valley. Fossilea offers the ridge path and views of the Saône Valley, whereas the hike at Espace Pierres Folles starts and ends in Saint-Jean-Des-Vignes. Conditions on the Fossilea route may change if its course is revised, so check the current route before setting out.
Discover more destinations: Albigny-sur-Saône, Neuville-Sur-Saône, Riverie, Bully, Villié-Morgon, Charbonnières-Les-Bains, Émeringes, Cours-La-Ville
For the wider travel overview: Rhône.
