Discover Coutouvre: Circular walks and local history

In Coutouvre, walking trails, viewpoints and traces of local history come together. For planning your trip, two circular walks are easy to distinguish by their length and character: the “Balade des deux chapelles” is 10.0 kilometres long, while the “Balade digestive” covers 3.3 kilometres through the village. You can choose based on the distance you want to walk and whether you would rather follow the route along the Trambouzan or explore Coutouvre itself.

Two circular walks, two route profiles

The marked “Balade des deux chapelles” starts at the car park by the sports hall on Chemin de la Chapelle. This 10.0-kilometre circular walk follows the Trambouzan and offers panoramic views and bucolic scenery. Its starting point, circular route and length give you concrete details to help plan the walk. Its connection to the Trambouzan and the surrounding landscapes shape the route’s character.

At 3.3 kilometres, the “Balade digestive” is shorter and takes you on a circular route through the village of Coutouvre. This gives you two different options: a longer, marked loop along the Trambouzan and a shorter loop focused on the village. Both are circular walks, but they differ considerably in their stated distance and described route. If you would rather explore the village on foot, the “Balade digestive” offers this direct connection to the place; the longer loop, by contrast, takes you along the Trambouzan and to panoramic viewpoints.

Views and a chapel at the Madone

At the summit of the Madone Notre-Dame-de-Prompt-Secours, there is an orientation table. After climbing 64 steps, you can enjoy a 360° panorama across the Roannais. In clear weather, at least 36 church towers can be seen from the top. Weather conditions are part of the panoramic experience: when visibility is clear, you can look beyond the church towers across the Roannais landscape.

Visitors can also see inside the Madone de Prompt-Secours chapel. Its history is linked to Mgr Dubuis, who consecrated the Madone in 1875 and was from Coutouvre; he was also Bishop of Texas. The views, the chapel visit and this local connection to Dubuis offer different historical and landscape perspectives on the site.

Traces of Coutouvre’s history

The Tour de Morland and Château de la Varenne are also part of the area’s history. Dating from the 14th century, the Tour originally served as a hunting meeting place for the Dukes of Burgundy. Château de la Varenne was a former fief of the same dukes; its two towers date from the 15th century. The Tour’s former function is the main point of interest, while the château is notable for its historical ties as a fief and the dates of its two towers. Together, these connections illustrate different aspects of the place’s recorded history.

The “Sur les traces de Louis Mercier” walking route honours the novelist and poet Louis Mercier (1870–1951), who was born in Coutouvre. At his grave in Coutouvre, visitors can see his stele and trompe-l’œil portrait. The fresco on the façade of the post office is a trompe-l’œil honouring people who have shaped the village’s history.

Another trace of history is the grotto in Coutouvre. It was built in 1958 by local business owners, with the support of former prisoners and their families. Together, these offer different forms of remembrance and local history: the memory of individuals, an image on the façade of the post office and the story behind the grotto’s creation.

Discover more destinations: Marcenod, Pralong, Saint-Romain-La-Motte, Mizérieux, Saint-Just-En-Chevalet, Saint-Priest-En-Jarez, Saint-Romain-D'urfé, Saint-Médard-en-Forez.

Go to the regional travel overview: Loire.