Discover Chambles

Chambles brings together the landscapes of the Loire Gorges, marked trails, nature attractions and historic buildings. If you’re looking for a hotel in Chambles, it helps to plan your stay around these highlights: would you like to focus on trails and views, or are you mainly interested in architectural heritage? The routes vary in length, walking time and terrain, while the cultural sites span different historical periods.

Loire Gorges and viewpoints

The Natura 2000 protected area FR8212014 “Gorges de la Loire” includes Chambles; the village is also located in a designated landscape. Particularly noteworthy are the breeding populations of short-toed eagles, red kites, black kites, honey buzzards and eagle owls.

The 18-metre-high Tour de Chambles dates from the 11th century. Visitors can climb to the top for panoramic views over the Loire Gorges. From the car park, a five- to ten-minute walk along the gorges leads to Château d’Essalois. Inside the château, the Centre d’Interprétation des Gorges de la Loire presents the cultural heritage of the gorges and EDF’s hydroelectric facility at Grangent.

Walking trails and planning your time

“Autour de Chambles – PR 11” is a marked 13.0-kilometre circular trail. On the PR 11, you can reach the Presqu’île and the Chapelle du Châtelet via a steep descent; the round trip takes 50 minutes. These figures refer to different parts of your plans: 13 kilometres for the circular route and 50 minutes for the round trip to these destinations. Take the steep descent into account when choosing your route, and check trail conditions before setting out, as they can vary.

A one-hour-and-30-minute family walk is also possible around Château d’Essalois. You can reach the Presqu’île du Châtelet by boat from Saint-Victor or on foot from Chambles. As boat trips may be seasonal, check in advance whether they operate on your travel dates.

The Montée de Chambles takes place every year on 31 December. Check the details for the relevant edition before your trip.

Buildings and history

The Chapelle Ste Foy du Châtelet, built in the 11th century, is an example of Romanesque architecture and is listed in the supplementary inventory of historic monuments. The Tour de Chambles also dates from the 11th century. The church of Saint-Pierre in Chambles has a different historical reference point: its earliest written records date from the 12th century. This distinguishes the construction date from the earliest written mentions.

The Chapelle Sainte-Foy-du-Châtelet can be reached on foot via a winding path that leads to a small stone bridge over the Loire. From there, it is a few hundred metres further to a small clearing.

Local produce

Local producers and craftspeople in Chambles offer cured meats, cheese, vegetable baskets, honey and marshmallows. Availability and access may vary by season. These products add another dimension to the area’s nature and cultural attractions; when planning, bear in mind that what is on offer may depend on the season.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Saint-Cyr-Les-Vignes, Cherier, Juré, Balbigny, Saint-Priest-En-Jarez, Cellieu, Planfoy, Saint-Michel-Sur-Rhône

For the broader travel overview: Loire.