Welcome to the country of pacaudière

The medieval village of Crozet camps proudly on its headland. If the site of Crozet allows you to observe the plain roannaise, the solid masses of the Beaujolais wine, Mâconnais and Morvan, this is also a village which allures by its incomparable architecture, pilot of a prestigious past. For the turbid periods of the history, Crozet constituted a solid refuge against the attacks. But this is especially in the XVI century, under François 1st, when Crozet was attached to the goods of the crown, that the city was re-elected and respected.
In the middle of the old ramparts trade and services organized. Then gradually, at the edge of royal main road (RN7) the borough of Pacaudière developed. Too much far away from the road, the medieval city started to decline. Today, this prestigious last remain many vestiges to be discovered at the time of your visit: * The large door: (registered M.H.) with the blazons of the Dukes of Bourbon and the Counts of Drill.

• The wood house: said " Connétable" , dating from XIII century (seat of the town hall, registered voter M.H.) where you can admire a beautiful chimney carrying the blazon of the Constable Charles III of Bourbon. In the court of the town hall, one can see an old well and his monolithic curbstone as well as the tower with nozzle, building with the walls of 2 m of thickness.
• The Market of the cordouannery.
• The house Dolphin: construction of the beginning of XVI century restored between 1970 and 1972 by the antique dealer who occupy it.
• The old church: vestige restored by the Association of the Friends of the Crozet Old man.
• The House of the Sundial: old house with the acute roof.
• The Museum: house of XVè century with a turret of angle, it was created in 1948 and continues to be arranged internally.
• The Papon House of XV century, classified M.H. (remains native of the illustrate Royal Juge born in Crozet in 1500) renovated by the " Beautiful Arts".
• The Keep: built during XII century by the Viscounts of Mâcon. The remainders of this tower are 11,80 m high, 8,80 m diameter and the walls have a thickness of 2,60 Mr. At the top, 2 tables d' orientation were installed to benefit from the splendid panorama.

Some of the historic buildings (classified or registered) of the very different times, are directly related to the the presence; important transportation routes, like the " joyau" commune of Pacaudière: Small Louvre.

Thus, between Roanne and Lapalisse, the relay of station of l" hotel trade, gradually made of Pacaudière a stage privileged on the road of Paris. This vocation d' reception, which is his still today, left many witnesses and in particular, remarkable whole such as old houses of XV and XVI century.

Small Louvre (XVI century) This splendid building which Marie the styles Gothic and Rebirth, knew successively various functions: property of the dukes of Bourbons until 1527, princely residence, then hotel trade, lodging d' stage for the officers and relay of station to the service of the King, brigade of constabulary in 1737, presbytery under the Second Empire· It served the reception with prestigious hosts. One can in particular admire there splendid and imposing roof as a remarkable frame (in hull of boat reversed). In the interior, of many coated graffiti and the frescos decorate the thick walls.

The door of the renaissance entry is surmounted of a carved shell where two angels appear clearly holding a stone escutcheon, damaged with the revolution. The legend wants that they  were not destroyed with the revolution because " without breeches ".

In season, you will be able to visit Small Louvre but to also benefit from various temporary exhibitions (paintings, sculptures·).

In the Middle Ages, the town of Lespinasse, destroyed in 1590 during the wars of religion by a tragedy sets fire to, gathered several hundreds of the inhabitants. It in particular had many constructions which for the majority were destroyed:

• A vault castrale Saint Michel which was the center of a parish attached to that of Forgeux Saint and dependent on the Priory blessing of Ambierle. It sheltered the tombs of the lords of l' Espinasse died with the crusades; it remained until 1761.
• Furnaces, presses and communal mills.
• A pilori where you attached condemned.

Markets seigneuriales where were held justice seigneuriale and the fairs which contributed to the success of Lespinasse. In spite of quasi the disappearance of the city in 1590, you can still admire, on the site, several constructions which evoke this tragic past:

• The keep, high square tower of XII century (Mr. H.). It was drawn up originally on a small feudal mound bordered of ditches. You still clearly distinguish the 4 stages which compose this tower.
• The castle seigneurial of XVI century (restored with XIX), seat of the court.
• The farm of the XVII century, construction on wood reinforcement, typical of roannais; a pigeon-porch (recently restored) gave access to the farmyard.
• The paddle mill opposite the pigeon one. It succeeded the 2 communal mills of the seigniory which made it possible to grind the grain of all the baronnie of Lespinasse with a béal of derivation of 1,3 km supplying a large lock.

The Country of Pacaudière conceals the religious buildings as varied as curious. Thus churches, vaults, oratories, frescos await you for a discovery of " the religious art" of our area:

• Sail les Bains 

A small Romance church of XIII century (I. Mr. H.), equipped d' a splendid porch d' entry. During XV then XVI century, three vaults were grafted on the nave and the chorus.

In the interior, on the vault of the presbytery, the fresco of the angels musicians (dating from XV century) represents five angels drawn with the black feature, their lengthened wings are painted out of yellow and red ochre.

• Saint Bonnet of the Quarters

Thechurch, increased and restored in 1834, whose chorus and vault constitute the Romance part of XI or XII century (I. Mr. H.). On the interior vault and walls a painted decoration of XIII century appears, representing a Christ in Majesty, in a mandorle, framed of the four evangelists. In our department, these paintings constitute one of the rare witnesses of the representation of Christ such as it appears in the art of the Middle Ages.

• * Saint Forgeux Lespinasse

His Romance church set up in XI century which still has a pretty bedside and a curious external staircase leading to the bell-tower. In 1921 of work of restoration allowed to emphasize interior frescos of XV century which are aujourd' today registered.

• * The vault of Tourzy

 TOURZY is a crowned place: field of rest of deaths, centers religious since X century until 1838 and parish church of Crozet and Pacaudière. In 1553, Etienne Papon made restore the church and made there build a vault whose keystone carries the weapons of its family. The church was demolished in 1836 and there remains nothing any more but the

Thanks to a permanent network of footpaths and the edition d' a topo-guide that you will be able to get near the Community of Communes, the Country of Pacaudière accomodates you all year on its many paths. The variety of the landscapes and the sites is a serious asset: the green ones extended from the plain of the woodlands to the wooded and wild tops of the mounts of the Madeleine; full of fish ponds with the rivers with trouts, picturesque villages with the isolated hamlets, each one of you will find a circuit with his suitability.

On the whole, 22 circuits (from 1 to 5 at the beginning of each village) is more than 200 km of paths or ways or small ways, enable you to discover with foot, in VTT or with horse, our country. vault of 1553 which shelters the statue of Notre Dame of TOURZY