In Soucieu-en-Jarrest, two walking routes reveal different aspects of the commune’s heritage: a short walk of about an hour and a circuit featuring aqueduct remains, orchards and the Furon Valley. The area also has a history tied to an aqueduct and wood panelling in the Church of Saint-Julien.

The aqueduct and its traces

At the edge of the village stands the Mur de Granchamp, about 200 metres long, which supports the aqueduct channel. Nine arches carry the channel as far as the Gerle, the reservoir of the Garon siphon. Four openings, once used for lead pipes, have been preserved. The arches, reservoir and openings thus provide clues to different aspects of the structure: its supporting construction, the course of the channel and the former pipe route. The last arch is known as “Le Chameau” because of its shape. The name makes the structure’s form another feature of its history.

Two routes, two ways to plan

The short walking route “Du Violon au Moulin Rose” takes in the main elements of Soucieu-en-Jarrest’s heritage and takes about an hour. This gives the route an approximate time frame. It is a good option if you want to focus on local heritage and are looking for a compact outing.

The “Les Aqueducs de Soucieu” circuit follows a different route: it passes through orchards, alongside the remains of the Gier aqueduct and through the Furon Valley. The route is 10.9 kilometres long, has 150 metres of elevation gain and is marked with yellow PDIPR signs. It starts at Stade Jean Garin in Soucieu-en-Jarrest, is free of charge and open every day throughout the year.

When choosing between the routes, different planning details come into play. For “Du Violon au Moulin Rose”, an approximate duration is given; for the “Les Aqueducs de Soucieu” circuit, the distance, elevation gain and marker colour help you gauge the outing. These details describe different ways to explore the area on foot, and the two routes do not cover the same amount of time or distance.

Church history and the events calendar

The Church of Saint-Julien contains wood panelling dating from 1785. It comes from Cluny Abbey and was sold to the parish of Soucieu in 1845. Classified as an item worthy of protection, the panelling was granted protected status in 1978. These dates tell different parts of its history: when it was made, where it came from and when it was sold to the parish, as well as the later decision to protect it.

The Fête de la pêche de vigne is also part of Soucieu-en-Jarrest’s annual calendar. It takes place every year on the first Sunday in September. If you want to plan your stay around the festival, check the specific event details before travelling. This helps distinguish the recurring date from the arrangements for the event in any particular year.

To help plan your trip, you can first decide what you want to focus on: the two walking routes offer different time and distance options, while the aqueduct and church provide further heritage to explore. If you are interested in architecture and historic structures, you can include the channel route, the surviving openings and the wood panelling in your plans. The festival adds a recurring annual event in September.

Discover more destinations: Charentay, Les Halles, Marcilly-D'azergues, Saint-Martin-en-Haut, Létra, Pollionnay, Saint-Bonnet-Le-Troncy, Courzieu.

For the broader travel overview: Rhône.