Discover Chaneins

Chaneins offers travellers three specific themes to consider when planning their visit: nature watching at Étang Prêle, hiking and historic heritage. You can therefore shape your stay around your interests, whether that means exploring the wetland, choosing from trails with different characteristics, or learning about architecture and art history.

Nature and hiking at Étang Prêle

Étang Prêle is open for self-guided visits free of charge all year round. More than 30 bird species are regularly observed there, as well as amphibians and remarkable wetland plants. An observation station and an educational trail focus on both the birdlife and the pond’s ecosystem. So a visit is about more than individual species: it also offers an insight into the aquatic habitat.

There are two picnic tables near Étang Prêle. They offer a place to take a break outdoors while spending time by the pond.

The Circuit de l’Espace Naturel Sensible de l’étang Prêle circular trail is 14.5 kilometres long and rated moderate. It starts at Place de la Bascule in Chaneins. Its length, difficulty and starting point give you several points of reference when choosing a hike.

Another circular route, the Circuit de la chapelle au château, runs through the municipality of Chaneins. It is approximately 9.2 kilometres long and takes around three hours. Compared with the 14.5-kilometre loop, it is shorter; an approximate duration is also provided for this route, while the longer loop is rated moderate.

The official hiking trail from Chaneins to Étang Prêle offers views of Château de Chaillouvres, which stands on the pond’s shore, as well as panoramic views of Beaujolais. One route to Étang Prêle is suitable for mountain bikes. This gives you a distinct option for each activity when planning your visit: nature watching, hiking and mountain biking.

Church, chapel and historic art

Notre-Dame de l’Assomption church has been mentioned since 1234 and was under the authority of the priory of Neuville-les-Dames. Its semicircular apse probably dates from the 12th century. Five unequal round arches and carved capitals define its form. After ten years of restoration work, the church reopened for worship on 24 March 2014.

The Saint Joseph chapel contains murals precisely dated to 1505 by a carved inscription. A painting of Saint Benedict from the same period is also located on the nave wall next to the chapel. The inscription gives an exact year for the murals; the painting of Saint Benedict is attributed to the same period.

Three 15th-century gargoyles depicting grotesque animals are located on the south façade of the church. The church thus brings together different historical details: the probably medieval apse, its history of restoration and use, and the figurative gargoyles.

The Poype de Chaneins

The Poype de Chaneins is also part of the municipality’s archaeological heritage. It is a man-made mound and may be the municipality’s oldest archaeological evidence.

At its base, the mound was surrounded by a deep, water-filled ditch. The site was entered through a single gate in a barbican. The ditch and gate are specific features of the site, adding an archaeological perspective on Chaneins to the history of the church and chapel.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Lagnieu, Servignat, Saint-Nizier-Le-Bouchoux, Giron, Châtillon-En-Michaille, Champagne-En-Valromey, Vonnas, Thoissey

Back to the main travel overview: Ain.