Millery: Wine Trails, Winemaking and History

Plateau, Winemaking and Walking Trails

Millery lies on a plateau between the valleys of the Rhône and Garon rivers. Morainic deposits over a crystalline massif shape the soils, making them suitable for fruit growing and winemaking. As you explore the area, you’ll encounter different sides of this landscape: walking trails run along the Rhône riverbanks, through vineyard paths and through the town center. This lets you discover nature, agriculture and historic architecture as different aspects of a destination for your stay.

Trails Through the Vineyards and Surrounding Area

The Sentier viticole de Millery is a 7.7-kilometer circular trail with 111 meters of elevation gain. The route is estimated to take about 90 minutes. Information panels cover the work of winemakers, caring for the vines and making wine. The trail is considered an educational and fun family outing. If you’re planning the walk, this gives you both a specific time frame and insights into winemaking. Check the trail details before setting out.

Another named trail is the three-kilometer Sentier découverte du patrimoine de Millery. In direct numerical comparison, it is considerably shorter than the wine trail. In the area around Millery, outside the town center between Grigny and Vernaison, the trail to La Tour de Millery passes through a riverside woodland. There, ponds provide refuges for amphibians. This trail showcases a different part of the landscape from the walks through the town center and the vineyard paths.

Winemaking and Tastings

Millery’s vineyards cover approximately 70 hectares today. Winemaking here produces wines with the Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée “Coteaux du Lyonnais” designation, awarded in 1984. The Sentier viticole also points to Millery’s wine cellars, where visitors can taste local wines and fruit juices. The vineyards and tasting destinations give the wine trail a tangible connection to local agriculture.

Domaine Régis Descotes is certified for organic farming and offers guided tours for individuals and groups. It grows nine grape varieties, mostly on glacial-origin slopes typical of the Rhône Valley. If you’re planning a visit, check the visitor arrangements in advance.

Town Center and Historic Buildings

The historic town center developed around the church from the end of the Middle Ages, with narrow houses lined up along its streets. The Église Sainte-Croix was built in the 15th century on the site of an earlier oratory and a cross. It preserves Gothic features: the choir, tracery windows, the first four bays and rib vaults. A bay is a section of the church interior; tracery is the stonework that divides a window. These terms help distinguish the church’s individual architectural features.

At the end of the 16th century, Millery became the residence of the Montagny family after the fortified Château de Montagny became uninhabitable as a result of the Wars of Religion. The Maison Gonnard was built under Louis XIV in a new neighborhood below the church; it was commissioned by the Chalamel family’s notaries. The building is being restored so it can be opened to the public during the Journées du patrimoine in September and for the Rendez-Vous Découverte organized by the Office de tourisme des Monts du Lyonnais. Check the program for these events before your visit.

Le Saint Sépulcre is listed as a historic monument and is located on private property. The oratory’s origins are uncertain, and it is thought to date from the late 14th century. It features a group of seven saints depicting Christ’s burial. Its tentative dating and religious scene give the site a historical context different from that of the church and town center.

Discover more destinations: Lantignié, Solaise, Tassin-La-Demi-Lune, Ambérieux, Beaujeu, Vénissieux, Saint-Forgeux, Ouroux.

For the overview of the wider region: Rhône.