Chissey-Lès-Mâcon: Romanesque Churches, Crafts and a Museum

Chissey-Lès-Mâcon brings together Romanesque churches, historic paintings, crafts and a museum dedicated to the history of bathing. This gives you several clearly distinct cultural highlights to consider when planning your trip: the Église Saint-Pierre is known for its Romanesque architecture and older baptismal fonts, while Lys offers a Romanesque church and crafts, and the Musée de la Natation explores the history of bathing and swimming. If you are looking for a hotel in Chissey-Lès-Mâcon, you could start by considering which of these themes you would like to shape your stay.

Romanesque Churches and Their Furnishings

The Église Saint-Pierre is a Romanesque church; its nave and bell tower date from the early 12th century. The tall bell tower has three storeys. Paired arched windows and Lombard bands divide its exterior, and a tall stone pyramidal roof rises above them. The capitals offer another glimpse of the church’s furnishings: they depict the Nativity, the Annunciation and the Annunciation to the Shepherds. There are also three scenes from the life of King David, including his fight against Goliath, as well as demonic masks, winged dragons and foliage.

Two baptismal fonts dating from the 10th century come from the former Romanesque church in the hamlet of Prayes, which was destroyed in the early 20th century. Saint-Pierre thus combines architectural features from the early 12th century with older objects from another church.

Church and Crafts in the Hamlet of Lys

The Église Notre-Dame in the hamlet of Lys is a former parish church built entirely in the Romanesque style. Its tall bell tower has a saddleback roof; the wall paintings date from the late 13th century and the 17th century. The Église de Lys has been protected as a historic monument since 19 January 1938. While Saint-Pierre is distinguished, among other things, by its tower, capitals and baptismal fonts, Lys is notable for its wall paintings from two periods and its Romanesque architecture.

There are craftspeople around the central square and near the washhouse in Lys. They include a tapestry weaver, a bronze worker, a shoemaker and a leatherworker. You can visit their workshops and see their skills in action; access may vary from one craftsperson to another. Check with the relevant workshop before your visit.

The Atelier de la Lisse in the hamlet of Lys offers six-day courses in high-warp weaving and tapestry weaving. It is open to the public year-round. As customer visits or exhibitions may affect opening, it is advisable to call before your visit.

The Musée de la Natation

The Musée de la Natation is located in the priory of the Château de Lys in Chissey-Lès-Mâcon. It traces the history of bathing in the sea, rivers and swimming pools, as well as the development of competitive swimming. The collection includes photographs of swimming champions, posters for sporting events, medals, paintings and postcards. A women’s bathing suit from 1860 illustrates a specific period represented in the collection. There are also models of historic bathing facilities from the 19th century and of France’s first swimming pool, built in Paris in 1884. The museum offers a different focus from the churches and workshops: its main themes are the history of bathing and sport.

Nature and Walking Route

Chissey-Lès-Mâcon is one of the municipalities in the Natura 2000 site “Bocage, forêts et milieux humides du bassin de la Grosne et du Clunisois” (FR2601016). The Boucle 10 “Boucle des églises romanes” is a rural circular route through villages and hamlets with Romanesque churches. The Romanesque church in the hamlet of Lys is also a reason to stop along the way. The route therefore combines views of Romanesque churches with their rural surroundings.

Discover more destinations: Préty, Ligny-En-Brionnais, Curgy, Louhans, Sailly, Cuiseaux, Iguerande, Igornay.

For the broader travel overview: Saône-Et-Loire.