Grézieu-la-Varenne: Heritage, Museum and Routes

Grézieu-la-Varenne offers two distinct areas of interest for trip planning: the architectural and cultural history of Saint-Roch and the Maison du Blanchisseur Museum, and routes with specific lengths and itineraries. You can decide whether you are more interested in the church, the development of the laundry trade, or a walking or cycling route.

Saint-Roch Church and its carillon

The present-day Saint-Roch Church was built in 1872 to designs by Lyon architect François Merlin. Its square tower was restored in 2004; the carillon has 36 bells.

The carillon plays every Saturday at 11 a.m. As schedules may change, check the time before your visit. You can visit the carillon during the European Heritage Days in September; plan your visit according to the dates of the events in that year.

Another historical detail is the baptismal font in Grézieu-la-Varenne: it dates from the 10th century, was irregularly carved from a single block of stone, and is decorated in the Romanesque style. The single block describes how it was made, the decoration its design, while the date places the object in its historical context.

Maison du Blanchisseur Museum and the history of laundry

The Maison du Blanchisseur Museum is set on grounds measuring almost one hectare. They include a fully renovated 19th-century farmhouse and a modern building; both are devoted to the history of the laundry trade.

The focus is on the development of the laundry trade in numerous communities in the western Lyonnais in the 19th and 20th centuries. The presentation follows the stages of washing: from washing beside the “plates” to American washing drums and the advent of household washing machines. This makes it possible to trace the progression from early washing stations to the washing machine in the home.

The Maison du Blanchisseur Museum offers educational and guided tours. As visitor arrangements may change, check the current options before planning your visit.

Bus route C24 from Gorge de Loup and route 122 from Vourles and Dommartin run to the Evellier stop at the Maison du Blanchisseur Museum. Check the routes before travelling.

Walking and cycling routes compared

The 6.7 km “Circuit Randoland Grézieu-la-Varenne” is a treasure hunt that combines a tour of the village and discovery of its local heritage with a walk in nature.

The Voie Verte runs for 4.5 km along the former railway line between Lyon Saint-Just and Vaugneray. The section in Grézieu-la-Varenne starts at the junction of chemin des Ondines and chemin du Michon. This gives the section a specific, named starting point.

One cycling option is the “Circuit VTT 3 – Le tacot” mountain-bike circuit, which runs partly along the Voie Verte from Grézieu-la-Varenne.

The information provides different criteria for choosing between the routes: the Randoland circuit combines a village tour with a nature walk; the Voie Verte is described in terms of its former railway line and a named starting point. The mountain-bike circuit also uses part of this route.

Discover more destinations: Saint-Apollinaire, Orliénas, Sarcey, Lissieu, Irigny, Brignais, Savigny, Saint-Laurent-De-Mure.

For the broader travel overview: Rhône.