Welcome to the country of la voulte-sur-rhône

The commune of Gilhac and Bruzac dominates the valley of the Rhone but also the low valley of Eyrieux. Belonging to the most important communes of the department by its surface, Gilhac and Bruzac does not have paradoxically a village, within the meaning of the term. The commune is made up around two hamlets which gave it its name: Gilhac, close to Pierre Gourd and Bruzac, to the windmill.

The federator site of this commune is the castle of Pierre Gourde, high place of the history. This one dates from XI century and car its name of old French: Turn of stone guet. Its history was marked, like all the commune by the wars of religion between the Protestants and the catholics. Roof of the destiny, the castle does not owe its ruin with events but with its use as stone quarry after its abandonment (XVII century).

Charmes sur Rhône gave its name to the city (of Latin charmis, camus, arid ground). The Roman occupation was important, as testify the presence to it to various necropoles, as well as the tomb of Senator Romain ALETHIUS placed now under the perron of the town hall. At the top, the feudal castle ruins day before of it always on the valley. Residence of the family of Crussol until the XVI century, it was dismantled on order of Richelieu by the inhabitants in 1624, in only one day! many houses were then built with the stones of the castle, like the private mansion of 1746 transformed into Town hall in 2000.

You will leave the RN86 to discover with foot the village while following " the path of Troubadour" through skilfully restored lanes, in the medieval city with the table of orientation with the remarkable panorama.

You will discover, while passing, the river of Embroye with uneven the rapid in granitic chaos. It provided the force of its tumultuous water to many mills and grindings in the activity until at the beginning of the XX century. You will benefit from the beneficial shade of the various doors in arcades and will mark a pause with the foot of the old woman tower, monument emblematic of the village, built on the basis of bell-tower. The contemporary part of the village is extended in the plain near the old royal road and of the RN86. The Rhone domesticated by a stopping receives the Embroye river by forming a d' plan; water arbitrating a small marina. The classified river first category, offers to the amateurs trout fishing, an exceptional framework. Village charged by the history and the tradition, Charmes celebrates since mists of time, each 1st Sunday of Lent the revival and the young grooms of year, with la Surle, (ancestor of our sports of ball).

Saint Georges les Baths shelters on a vast natural territory, a charming village constituting a true view-point on the valley of the Rhone. It took this name only in 1860, at the time of the union of two communes: St Georges and St Marcel de Crussol. St Marcel is today a district of the village, which sheltered formerly, fixed on the hillsides, a castle but also a small strengthened city.

From this feudal time, there remain nothing any more but ruins. St Georges belonged to the abbey of Cluny. Its church dates from the medieval period as testifies some the semicircular Romance chorus. In this same place, a stained glass represents patron saint of the village: St Georges (owner of the soldiers) embanking the dragon. The village partly owes its name with a source of the alcalino-sulfurous water at constant temperature (24°C). At the XVIII century, the large ones of this world (of which Bonaparte…) came s' there to bathe to look after the many skin diseases.

The " Turzon" , torrent which crosses the commune, in successive rock cascades, finishes in brook alleviated in the artificial lake creates by the National company of the Rhone before being thrown in the Rhone. It offers in this place, a rather remarkable framework, very appreciated where the fishermen dispute fish with the cormorants and will hérons them ashy!

La Voulte sur Rhone grew at the bottom of the rock hills, last buttresses of Boutières, on bank of the Rhone. Its name comes  elsewhere " Voltas" , meanders which the Rhone made, with the foot of the rock. The History of Voulte sur Rhone goes back to mists of time…

The oldest octopus and the oldest sweet chestnut fossilized known in the world were found on the sector. Its old village characteristic of the moyenâgeuse Gothic time is built around the rock a such snail. Tangled up lanes, small arranged places, lead you until on the place of the church, towards this place where the glance, only one blow embraces all the valley of the Rhone.