In St Just en Chevalet

The remains of the feudal château of the dukes of Bourbon and Urfé are situated at the top of the village and provide a panorama over the village and the surrounding countryside. The 14th Century gothic chapel of “Notre Dame du Château” is situated in the grounds of the château and it contains the heart of Anne D’Urfé brother (yes brother) of the novelist Honoré D’Urfé.

Just below the chateau lies the Fontaine de la Conche which dates from 1564. It consists of two containers, the upper one provided drinking water and the lower part acted as a water trough. It is surmounted by an iron cross. The grooves in the trough were made by the local woodsmen sharpening their axes. The fountain is surrounded by buildings which were once some of the many hotels which existed in the village in the early 20th Century.

The church in the centre of the village is the main parish church of the village and was built in the neogothic style in dark volcanic stone towards the end of the 19th Century. The money for the church, and the private Collège St Camille School which stands behind it, was provided by the Rochetaillée family, who give their name to one of the main squares in the town.  It contains a gilded baroque-style altarpiece depicting the Madonna and Child and a Pieta (Mary mourning over the body of Christ).  This is one of the few remaining relics of the old church which stood on the same site.

The church also contains a beautiful organ, originally built by, and named after, the renowned maker Cavaille-Coll for the Russian Imperial Court but never delivered due to the Russian Revolution.

Opposite the church, in front of the Post Office, is a statue known as “The Solitaire”, a bronze statue depicting a wild boar being attacked by a pack of hounds. It dates from the 19th Century and was donated to the village in 1937.

See photos of some of the sights of the village here.

You can find details of a walk showing the village and it's surroundings here

Around the Canton - 9 other villages....

St Marcel D’Urfé

A small village (less than 300 inhabitants) situated 8km south east of St Just en Chevalet  set between 490m and 900m (1600 – 3000ft). 
Chapelle de Chirat is beautifully situated just above the village and dates from the 16th Century. Inside you will find statues of local saints and some beautiful stained glass.

Champoly

Situated 9km south of St Just en Chevalet the village is named from “Campo Polito” an area where vegetation was cleared and agriculture began in the 9th Century. The village is best known for the Château  D’Urfé which dominates the region.  The site was fought over by the local warlords since the 12th Century. The current building was built at the end of the 14th and beginning of the 15th centuries and was the seat of the powerful Urfé family. It was effectively a frontier chateau between the Forez, the Auvergne and the Bourbonnais.  It fell into disrepair (and became a source of stone for local buildings) at the time of the revolution. Since the 1950’s restoration work is carried out by volunteers each summer. It is now possible to climb the round keep tower and take in the magnificent view from the top. There is a viewing table to allow you to identify what is in view. On a clear day it is possible to see Mont Blanc and the Alps in the east and the Puy de Dôme in the west as well as 5 other ranges.  http://www.chateaudurfe.com/accueil.html

Juré

Lying 6 km South East of St Just en Chevalet. Juré is most notable for its impressive stone built railway viaduct, part of the long defunct Roanne to Vichy line. It is possible to walk or mountain bike across the viaduct.
Outside the 19th century church is a spring which locals use to collect cool fresh water.  There are beautiful walks from the village along the banks of the River Aix.

Crémeaux

Crémaux lies 11km east of St Just en Chevalet and is the second largest village in the canton. It is dominated by the bell tower and porch of the church which dates from the 15th Century. There are a number of druidic stones around the village. The commune ranges in altitude from 450m to 908m (1476 to 2978ft).

Chérier

Chérier consists of two distinct parts, Moulin Chérier which lies 11km to the North East of St Just en Chevalet on the main road towards Roanne was developed in the 19th Century along the banks of the Isable River which powered 5 or 6 mills. Vieux Chérier is situated at 820m (2,690ft), 2km from Moulin Chérier and benefits from magnificent views across the Roannais plain towards the Beaujolais and Lyonnais mountains. It has an interesting Romanesque church which dates from the 11th Century.

Chausseterre

This is the youngest commune in the Loire department and was created in 1947 after separation from the commune of St Romain D’Urfé. It has a pleasant lake which is the starting points for many pleasant walks and mountain bike rides. Just outside the village towards the Col St Thomas is the “Sentier Pedagogique” a path of around 1400m (1500 yards) with boards illustrating different aspects of the forest.

St Romain d’Urfé

The centre of the village, which is situated on a hill around 5 km South West of St Just en Chevalet, has the only Renaissance style church in the region which dates from the 15th and 16th Centuries.  On the edge of the village the Chapel of St Roch sits on a rock with good views over the surrounding countryside. A megalith and the discovery of flint tools in the village shows evidence of occupation of this site for thousands of years.

La Tuilière

Named for a tile factory which used to stand on the banks of the Boën river. The village developed as the road between St Just en Chevalet and St Priest La Prugne was constructed in the late 18th Century. The Dardant rock situated above the village near the hamlet of Tournaire affords magnificent views over the Bois Noirs and Monts du Forez.

St Priest La Prugne

 Standing on the border between Rhône-Alpes and the Auvergne 12km North West of St Just en Chevalet this village is noted for its uranium mine, which closed in 1980. The former offices stand as a rather incongruous landmark in the nearby village of La Prugne. St Priest has a 12th century church which was extended in the 18th Century. On the edge of the village are further traces of the former railway line from Roanne to Vichy in the form of a viaduct, open to both pedestrians and vehicles. On the flanks of the Puy de Montoncel which rises up from the village and is the highest peak in the Bois Noirs, is the impressive waterfall “Cascade de Bout”.

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