In Sainte-Paule, the “Traverse des Pierres Dorées No. 6” loop begins, passing the village’s Romanesque church. This makes hiking and architecture clear focuses for a stay. Another reason to visit is Beaujolais wine tastings in the cellar at Domaine des Fonterouilles. If you’re looking for a holiday rental, first consider whether you want the circular walk to shape your stay, whether you’re particularly interested in Romanesque architecture, or whether you’d like to include a vineyard and cellar tour in your plans.

Hiking with clear landmarks

The loop begins in Sainte-Paule. The 2025 FFRandonnée route guide lists its length as 13.5 kilometres. The route’s car park is at Sainte-Paule cemetery on Rue Font Bénite. The starting point, car park and distance give you concrete details for planning your outing. Check trail conditions before setting off and take the stated distance into account when planning your day.

Along the way, the loop passes Sainte-Paule’s 11th-century Romanesque church and reaches the Col du Chêne, with panoramic views of the Monts de Tarare. The church provides the historical highlight; at the Col, the focus is on the landscape. The loop therefore offers two distinct landmarks if you’d rather choose an outing for its culture and scenery than simply for its distance.

Pierres Dorées and the wider landscape

The loop through the Pierres Dorées area passes stones in warm hues and ochre-coloured village buildings. The route can therefore be appreciated for more than its individual waypoints: the colours of the stone and buildings are also part of its landscape. Further afield, the loop heads towards Le-Saule-d'Oingt and offers views over the Val de Saône. The Col du Chêne is a specific viewpoint, while the view over the Val de Saône opens up a broader regional perspective.

The “Traverses du Beaujolais des Pierres Dorées” also pass through twelve communes, including Sainte-Paule. This places the village within a wider regional route network. The distinction is useful when making your choice: Loop No. 6 has a stated length and named waypoints; the twelve communes describe the wider network.

Plan your Beaujolais wine experience at your own pace

Domaine des Fonterouilles offers Beaujolais wine tastings in its cellar. Commented tours of the vineyards and cellar are also available by appointment. The two options differ in scope: the tasting focuses on the wines in the cellar, while the commented tour also includes the vineyards. If you’re interested in the tour, arrange your visit in advance. This way, you can take the appointment requirement into account without planning the visit as an activity available at short notice.

Choose your accommodation based on what brings you here

If hiking is to be the main focus, take the stated distance and trail conditions into account when planning. If you’d like to include a commented tour of the vineyards and cellar, arrange a time for it. The loop and the tour therefore raise different planning considerations: for the route, it’s the distance and trail conditions; for the tour, it’s the pre-arranged visit.

Discover more destinations: Rillieux-La-Pape, Saint-Pierre-de-Chandieu, Cours-La-Ville, Lyon, Sainte-Foy-Lès-Lyon, Saint-Bonnet-Le-Troncy, Charentay, Chiroubles

For the wider travel guide: Rhône.