Coubon: Castles, Nature and Loire Views

Coubon can be explored through three themes: architectural history, nature and routes. Château de Coubon and Église Saint-Georges reveal different historical periods, while the Vallée de Magnore and Étang du Lauzet showcase landscapes in different forms. The Via Velay passes through Coubon.

Historic Buildings and Their Historical Traces

Château de Coubon was built in 1887 by Jean-Bélisaire Moreau, an architect from Bourbonnais. The building is in a neo-medieval style and retains a very uniform, complete interior dating from the late 19th century. A visit also includes the chapel and the English-style park. Visiting arrangements may change, so check them in advance.

On the heights of Coubon, Château de Bouzols is one of the oldest castle complexes in the Velay. Another historical trace leads to Château de Poinsac: permission to build its keep was granted in 1390. A painted ceiling from the 15th century survives in one of the keep’s rooms. By decree dated 6 April 1987, Château de Poinsac was classified as a historic monument.

The strategic role of Château de la Tour-Daniel is another aspect of its history: the castle controlled the Loire crossing and the road to Le Puy, and formed part of a defensive network that had existed since the early Middle Ages. Église Saint-Georges de Coubon adds a religious history perspective. It was a dependency of Abbaye Saint-Chaffre du Monastier from 1090 and was extended in 1834.

Natural Landscapes, Water and Historical Traces

In November 2018, the municipalities of Coubon and Lantriac, together with the Département Haute-Loire, officially designated the Vallée de Magnore an Espace Naturel Sensible. The valley is rich in biodiversity, which is also under threat. These two aspects are linked: both the diversity of nature and its vulnerability shape how we see the Vallée de Magnore.

The remains of Prieuré Saint-Maurice de Magnore lie on Mont Saint-Maurice. They include scattered ruins, a cistern, sarcophagi and tombs carved into the rock. The Trou du Soleil is also located on the eastern slope of Mont Saint-Maurice: an arched rock, deeply hollowed in the middle, 200 metres above the road from Coubon to Orzilhac.

Étang du Lauzet covers 8.29 hectares, or 82,875 m². Its landscape includes a pond, meadows and wooded areas. This makes it clearly different in its described composition from the Vallée de Magnore, where biodiversity and the threats to it are the main focus.

Routes and Viewpoints

The Via Velay connects Le Puy-en-Velay and Landos and passes through Coubon. Its fine, compacted gravel surface is suitable for walking, easy to cycle on with VTC bikes, and accessible to wheelchair users. As the surface and accessibility may change with maintenance, check current conditions before your outing.

At PR540 Le Rond de l'Ange, the views take centre stage: the route includes a viewpoint overlooking the Loire and the Rond de l'Ange meander, as well as a view of the Massif du Meygal. The two routes have different highlights. For the Via Velay, the connection, its route through Coubon and its surface are described; for PR540, the focus is on the scenery. This lets you choose between a route described in terms of its connection and surface, and one featuring specific viewpoints.

Discover more destinations: Roche-En-Régnier, Saint-Julien-Chapteuil, Polignac, Saint-Jean-Lachalm, Champagnac-Le-Vieux, Lempdes Sur Allagnon, Bas-En-Basset, Beaulieu.

For the main travel overview: Haute-Loire.