Saint-Oyen lies at an altitude of 586 m on the left slope of the Morel, a tributary of the Isère. Its attractions range from village fountains and religious buildings to walks through the village, the forest and towards the Morel waterfall. This offers a choice of different focuses for planning your visit: the village’s history, or trails linked to the waterfall, interpretive trail and forest.
Village walks and hikes
The Circuit des Bachals starts at Place de la Mairie and leads to Saint-Oyen’s twelve Bachals. Along the way, it passes the chapels and the church. The circular route can be walked year-round, every day. The church’s seasonal opening hours apply to visits inside. There are benches and picnic tables at Aire du Moulin.
Other trails focus on the landscape. The “Balade autour des cascades du Morel” hiking route passes through the traditional village of Saint-Oyen and draws close to both the Morel waterfall and the interpretive trail along the Morel. The Trail des Eaux Blanches also passes through Saint-Oyen. Another hike follows a path through the Saint-Oyen forest to the La Léchère thermal spa, at the level of the Radiana Hotel. The routes mentioned therefore differ above all in their destinations: Bachals, chapels and the church on the circular route; the waterfall and interpretive trail on one hiking route; and the thermal spa on the other.
Church, chapels and village history
Saint-Oyen’s church is a Baroque church dating from 1655. In a niche on its façade stands a polychrome wooden statue of Saint Oyen, the village’s patron saint. The chapels also preserve their own historical and religious connections. The Chapel of Saint-Roch was completed in 1634, four years after the plague of 1630. It is dedicated to Saint Roch, Saint Fabian and Saint Sebastian, who were invoked for protection against the plague.
The Chapel of Notre-Dame-du-Puits houses a canvas painting of the Virgin and Child, as well as small statuettes. Another historical object can be found in the passageway du pressoir: a press screw dating from 1797 has been preserved there. These different details bring together architectural history, religious devotion and the former use of objects, without requiring them to be combined into a single walking route.
Bread oven and everyday life
The communal bread oven is often used for bread events organised by the village association SOLAN – “Saint-Oyen Loisirs ANimations”. Specific event dates may vary. Above the village oven, the small museum Le p’tit musée displays objects, clothing and stories about the lives of earlier generations. The bread oven and museum thus offer different insights into communal and everyday life: bread events here, and preserved objects and stories there. Benches and picnic tables at Aire du Moulin also provide a place to take a break.
Discover more destinations: Chindrieux, Trévignin, Méribel-Mottaret, Montagny, Jongieux, Saint-Genix-sur-Guiers, Saint-Michel-De-Maurienne, Valmeinier.
View the full travel guide: Savoie.
