Montfaucon-en-Velay: Culture and Trails

Montfaucon-en-Velay combines a long history with distinctive cultural attractions and trails. At its heart is the Chapelle Notre-Dame and its collection of paintings; beyond that, options range from a self-guided walk to hiking trails with different features. When planning your trip, both historical themes and how you want to get around are therefore relevant.

Chapelle Notre-Dame and the history of the town

The nave of the Chapelle Notre-Dame contains twelve paintings by Abel Grimer. Each painting depicts a scene from the life of Christ in a landscape representing one month of the year. The series combines religious scenes with seasonal landscape motifs: as you look at the paintings, you encounter not just a single month but a pictorial sequence through the year. The collection has been classified as a historic monument since 1914.

The first Chapelle Notre-Dame was built in the 16th century following a vow connected with the capture of Montfaucon by the Calvinists in 1585. Montfaucon-en-Velay had already been a walled town since the 13th century. Its history thus spans the town’s medieval character and the religious history of the 16th century.

Every year on 15 August, a pilgrimage to Notre-Dame de Montfaucon takes place at the Chapelle Notre-Dame. If you would like to plan your trip around this date, check the current programme locally.

Walks and trails

The Circuit Légendes et Patrimoine is free and designed as a 45-minute self-guided walk. It features explanatory information panels with a playful design. The starting point is the car park on the Via Fluvia greenway, near the former tourist office. As you follow the route independently, you can set your own pace.

The Via Fluvia is a route with a gentle gradient, laid out along a former railway line. Both the former railway track and the gentle gradient distinguish this route.

The GR430 Chemin de Saint-Régis is a difficult hiking trail measuring 206.8 kilometres. The Dunières–Tence stage follows the D 105 to Montfaucon-en-Velay and passes the Chapelle Notre-Dame. The 206.8-kilometre distance and difficult rating refer to the GR430; the stage describes the specific route through Montfaucon.

The Jardin Mirandou has a marked barefoot trail, an experiential route almost a kilometre long with a variety of surfaces. The different surfaces make the route a sensory experience. Its opening may vary by season; check before your visit.

Choosing the right activities for your trip

Different criteria can help you choose between the routes: for the Circuit, consider its duration and self-guided format; for the Via Fluvia, its gentle gradient and former railway line; and for the GR430, its length and difficulty. This allows you to distinguish a short town walk from a long, difficult hike. The barefoot trail offers a different focus, with its variety of surfaces.

Discover more destinations: Chomelix, Le Bouchet-Saint-Nicolas, Séneujols, Sainte-Florine, Goudet, Saint-Victor-Malescours, Saint-Julien-Des-Chazes, Salettes.

For the regional travel overview: Haute-Loire.