If your good resolution for 2026 is to fill up on heritage, we’ve got just what you need. With our well-stocked bible of villages and sites to visit around Lyon, we’ve got you covered right up to Saint-Glin-Glin. The latest is this little village in the Loire, just a few kilometers from Lyon. Freezing winter or not, who said that getaways had to be restricted to the summer months? There’s nothing more beautiful on earth than a winter’s day with the sun shining brightly. So, if the weather turns more clement soon, we’ll be leaving Lyon for Le Crozet!
Le Crozet, more years old than inhabitants
It’s these kinds of nuggets that we love to unearth. Despite its 280 inhabitants, Le Crozet is an open-air history book. Le Crozet has been awarded the “Villages et cités de caractère” and “Petite Cité de Caractère” labels, and is astonishing for its concentration of architectural monuments. A large door with a pointed arch, half-timbered houses, a tower, a keep, a fortified farm, a church, a whole host of remains… We’d all love to be able to enjoy so much heritage per square metre!
For here, a whole part of French history reveals its secrets through the cobbled streets, medieval mansions and Renaissance courtyards… For aficionados, guided tours are organized by the Roanne Tourist Office, and a small museum on Popular Arts and Traditions awaits you in a 16th-century dwelling. Don’t hesitate to call the Tourist Office (04 77 71 51 77 or 06 17 69 16 83) for information on opening times before you come.
A remarkably dynamic little village
Its double label shows that Le Crozet is far from resting on its laurels. Here, we’re proud of our heritage, and we want people to know it! The Musée des Arts et Traditions Populaires once again, but also an inn-restaurant and a 5-century-old elixir! Made from fruit and plants, this mysterious beverage that brought life back to the age of knights has resurfaced since 2022… A great way to literally taste history, or even take home a bottle!
For the little ones, there’s even a treasure hunt where they can collect clues and solve riddles to discover the village from top to bottom. These are available on request and free of charge from the tourist information point.