Saint-Jeures: Menhir, Heritage and Hiking Trails

Saint-Jeures brings together cultural history, hiking and products from Ferme Fol'Avoine. If you are looking for a hotel for your stay, you can plan your trip around your interests: historic sites, hikes or traditionally made dairy products.

Menhir and Historic Buildings

The Menhir de Saint-Jeures is located at La Croix de Pierre in Saint-Jeures. It is a menhir and an archaeological site dating to the Neolithic period. The decree of 5 January 1989 refers to a different period: under this decree, the menhir is listed and protected as a historic monument. This allows you to distinguish the monument’s prehistoric classification from its later legal protection status.

The Église de Saint Jeures adds a medieval architectural history to this early past: it was a former Romanesque castle chapel from the 12th century and was altered in the 15th and 17th centuries. Romanesque describes the architectural style of the original chapel; castle chapel refers to its former function. Alongside the prehistoric menhir, there is therefore a religious building whose origins and later alterations belong to different centuries.

The Maison de béate de Pouzols offers a different perspective on the past. Its interior illustrates former domestic use, teaching, use as a chapel and lace-making. Its functions thus ranged from everyday domestic life and teaching to use as a chapel and craftwork; the focus is on the rooms’ former uses.

Guided tours of the Maison de béate de Pouzols are scheduled for July and August. It is also open during the Journées du Petit Patrimoine et des Moulins in June and the Journées Européennes du Patrimoine in September. Check the exact visiting dates locally before planning your visit.

Hiking Trails and Views

The PR132 Les ravins de l’Auze circular hiking trail starts in Saint-Jeures, is 14.0 km long and is rated difficult. Its route type, distance and difficulty help you understand the nature of this hike. Two long-distance trails also pass through Saint-Jeures: the Saint-Régis Trail, GR 430, and the Way of St James, GR 65. The Croix de Couvet lies on both. This lets you compare a circular route with a specified distance and difficulty against two named long-distance trails.

The Suc de Mounier can be climbed from the hamlet of La Besseat; at an altitude of 1,209 m, it offers panoramic views. This destination adds a climb with a view to the routes. Weather and trail conditions can vary, so check both before setting out.

Products from Ferme Fol'Avoine

Ferme Fol'Avoine makes traditionally produced yogurts, cheese and ice cream from goat’s and cow’s milk. This information combines two sources of milk with several product types: yogurt, cheese and ice cream represent different ways of processing it. If local products are among your travel interests, this adds food production to the cultural and hiking themes.

Discover more destinations: Les Estables, Saint-Privat-D'allier, Saint-Vénérand, Les Vastres, Vielprat, Chaspuzac, Saint-Just-Près-Brioude, Montregard.

For the broader travel overview: Haute-Loire.