Lovers of old stones or history buffs, from Pérouges to Bugey we travel through the ages. Villages or festivals, here hide treasures from another time.

Places of character, emerging from the past.

From the majestic medieval city to the charming bugiste village, floats a scent of nostalgia. To take yourself for a knight or a lady from another era, you are on the right path.

The medieval city of Pérouges

Perouges, the medieval city marvels with its timeless beauty, like a movie set. This small town from the end of the Middle Ages, still inhabited, is dotted with emblems: the bicentenary lime tree, the sugar cake, the residences of craftsmen and the cobblestones, of course. A must!

Over the charming villages

Formerly enemies, all the villages today have at heart to preserve an authentic heritage. How pleasant it is to stroll through the alleys of these pretty villages. On a facade, at the corner of a wall, the marks of the past wait wisely. At the bend of a square, small heritage keeps watch. Here, a communal oven still in use, there a refreshing washhouse, in the distance a charming chapel... A parenthesis to discover here.

The castle of Allymes

Perched on the mountains of Bugey, the castle of Allymes watches over the town of Ambérieu-en-Bugey. A model of military architecture, sometimes Dauphinois, sometimes Savoyard, it has stories to tell. Towers, dungeon and curtain walls have passed through the centuries. An invitation to explore the place.

Ambronay Abbey

Ambronay Abbey more than 1000 years of history! Gothic cloister, defense towers and abbey are to be discovered all year round. Guided or free, sensory or digital, the visit to the abbey can be enjoyed à la carte. A moment out of time.

Highlights, to dream of the past.

The medieval festival of Pérouges

Every year, in June, Pérouges relive its medieval past. For a weekend, the streets of the city come alive. Night shows, medieval dances, fire-eaters fill young and old with joy. A medieval market completes the festivities, for a cup of mead or a knight's sword.

The Ambronay Music Festival

Ambronay likes it baroque music. In autumn, the abbey resounds with the vibrations of the organ and tinkles to the sound of the harpsichord. A stroll through the XNUMXth century, colored by world music. A musical journey to experience with the family, during youth shows and in the deckchairs of the festival area.

When the Château de Chazey opens its doors…

Once a year, the Château de Chazey-sur-Ain opens its doors during the European Heritage Days. The opportunity to see the beautiful residence and its park come to life, on a historical theme. Sometimes the Middle Ages and knights, sometimes musketeers and swordsmen, or Belle-Epoque, the next subject remains to be guessed...
NB: due to renovation works, the Château de Chazey will remain closed in 2020. Other sites offer exceptional tours during the JEPs.

Château des Allymes seen from the sky

The castle of Allymes

In Allymes, the castle dominates the plain of the Ain where you can see as far as Bresse and Dombes since the year 1306. [...]

Ambronay Abbey

The Benedictine abbey of Ambronay is always talked about. Since Charlemagne, it has been present in the landscape [...]