Chessy: Trails, village center and local history

When looking for hotels in Chessy, it is worth considering the village’s different highlights: its medieval center, trails with views and information panels, and traces of its architectural and cultural history offer several concrete ways to explore the area. Depending on whether you are interested in the landscape, historic buildings or geology, different aspects come to the fore.

Trails with views and themed information panels

The Sentier de la colline Nord, also known as the “Chemin de la Madone,” overlooks Chessy and offers a view across the rooftops of the golden-stone houses before leading to the medieval village center. On this trail, the view and the village center form a described sequence: first the rooftops, then the connection to the old village center.

The Sentier des Mines de Chessy has a different focus. The 1.3-kilometer educational trail has information panels about the area’s geology, flora, fauna and history. The trails can therefore be distinguished by their subject matter: one leads from the viewpoint to the medieval center, while the other uses its panels to cover several topics related to nature and history.

Architectural history and former fortifications

The Château de Chessy overlooks the village, but it is privately owned and closed to visitors. It was built in 1271–1272, expanded in the second half of the 15th century and restored in the Neo-Gothic style in the 19th century. These details describe different phases of construction: the original building, a later expansion and a restoration that introduced the Neo-Gothic style. When planning your visit, it is important to know that the château cannot be visited.

A well-preserved entrance gate at Bourgchanin is one of the surviving traces of the former fortifications. Sections of the former town wall can be seen on the northwest and south sides of the village center. These are different kinds of architectural remains: the surviving gate at Bourgchanin and sections of wall on two sides of the village center.

Religious art and other historical traces

Chessy’s church houses a stone holy water font dating from 1556, made by Jehan Gerba of Chessy. It has been listed since 1904. The church also preserves fragments of stained glass that were listed by decree on January 25, 1908. The dates refer to different milestones: 1556 is the year of the font, while 1904 and 1908 refer to the listings.

Other local historical features include washhouses and fountains; one of the fountains is watched over by Saint Bartholomew. The local history associated with the Chessy mines also extends into mineralogy: after its discovery in the 19th century, the blue azurite was named “Chessylite.” Alongside buildings and art, a mineral and its historical name offer further ways to explore Chessy.

A fun way to discover the village

The “Jeu de piste pour les petits et les grands” is a small booklet for discovering the village through a treasure hunt. As printed materials may not always be available, check in advance whether the booklet can be obtained.

Discover more destinations: Saint-Didier-au-Mont-d'Or, Charbonnières-Les-Bains, Marcy-Lʼétoile, Charnay, Jons, Courzieu, Saint-Symphorien-sur-Coise, Craponne.

For the regional travel overview: Rhône.