Saint-Marcel D'urfé: Chapel, washhouse and cycling routes

Saint-Marcel D'urfé offers several ways to plan a stay focused on heritage, hiking or cycling. These include the Chapelle Notre-Dame de la Chirat, the Lavoir de la Planche and three distinct routes: the La queue de la poêle hiking loop and the numbered routes N°2 – le Grand Bois and N°20 – Le Château d'Urfé. Your choice can depend on your preferred theme and mode of travel; for the cycling routes, distance, elevation gain and difficulty can also help you compare them.

Chapel, statue and chirats

The Chapelle Notre-Dame de la Chirat was built in 1508 and stands among volcanic rocks known as chirats. Inside the chapel is the statue “Notre-Dame de la Consolation,” an alabaster Virgin and Child. The statue is listed as a historic monument. The chapel brings together a precisely dated building, a named religious image and the local name for the rocks.

The association connected with the Chapelle de la Chirat commemorates this site every year on 8 September. If you would like to plan your trip around this date, check it in advance.

Hiking and discovering the Lavoir de la Planche

La queue de la poêle is an easy 5.1 km hiking loop starting in Saint-Marcel-d'Urfé. It is considered pleasant and accessible, and takes in a variety of well-preserved rural heritage. This family-friendly route includes a stop at an old chapel with a picnic area, as well as viewpoints. The chapel stop and viewpoints add cultural and scenic elements to the hike; the picnic area may also be useful when planning your outing.

The Lavoir de la Planche is a historic site and a historic monument in Saint-Marcel-d'Urfé; admission is free. It lies on a diversion channel of the La Planche stream, between two old bridges, one of which is made of stone slabs. Several hiking trails lead to the washhouse. The watercourse, the bridges and the washhouse’s position between them shape the character of the site.

Comparing mountain bike routes

N°2 – le Grand Bois starts at Place de l'Église in Saint-Marcel-d'Urfé. It is a signposted loop for mountain bikes and e-bikes, rated moderate. The route is 5.9 km long, has 239 m of elevation gain and takes 30 minutes.

N°20 – Le Château d'Urfé also starts at Place de l'Église. It is a difficult 23.0 km route with 785 m of elevation gain and a duration of two hours. This red loop is designated for mountain bikes with both pedal and electric assistance. The route offers a way to discover the village of Saint-Marcel-d'Urfé.

By comparison, N°20 is longer, has more elevation gain and is rated difficult rather than moderate. Its stated duration is also longer: two hours instead of 30 minutes. Conditions on La queue de la poêle and N°2 – le Grand Bois may change; check them before setting out.

Discover more destinations: La Fouillouse, Cuinzier, Bellegarde-en-Forez, Firminy, Grézieux-Le-Fromental, Chalmazel, Jas, L'etrat.

For the broader travel overview: Loire.