Ranchal: Walking Routes, Chapel and Local History

Ranchal offers several clearly distinct points of interest for planning a trip: a circular route, religious architecture and local history, and a natural area. When considering what you want to shape your stay, you can treat walking, culture and nature as separate focal points. Options range from the sentier de la chlorophylle to the Notre-Dame de la Rochette Chapel and the parish church, as well as the Croix Bleue peat bog.

Routes from a circular trail to a treasure hunt

Le sentier de la chlorophylle is a six-kilometre circular route starting at Notre-Dame de la Rochette. The trail loops back to its starting point; its length and starting point give the outing a clear format for planning your trip. The route is marked and secured, and includes interpretation of the surrounding area. This makes it possible to understand the route both in terms of its specific distance and its thematic character. As route details may change, it is advisable to check the latest trail information before setting out.

The Amis guides en terre beaujolaise offer guided tours on the sentier Chlorophylle in Ranchal. If you are planning to take the route with a guide, check before your trip whether this option is available on your chosen date.

The Parcours des Croix de Ranchal offers a different focus: three marked treasure-hunt routes invite you to discover 35 crosses in Ranchal. Here, the focus is on several routes and the search, while the sentier de la chlorophylle is a single circular route with a specified length. Before following a route, check the accompanying leaflet.

Chapel and parish church

The Notre-Dame de la Rochette Chapel is free to enter and open every day throughout the year. Opening information may change, so check it before your visit. The statue of the Virgin Mary above the chapel was created by Fabisch. The chapel itself was added to the monument in 1879 or 1880. Thus, the sculptor’s work on the statue and the chapel’s addition to the monument are distinct historical points of reference at this site.

The parish of Ranchal is dedicated to Saint Martin and is considered to be at least 600 years old. The parish church was rebuilt in the early 19th century and inaugurated on 28 September 1898. The parish and the church building therefore have different historical dates: an age attributed to the parish, and the church’s construction and inauguration history.

The Croix Bleue peat bog

The Croix Bleue peat bog adds a natural dimension to the routes and architectural history. It lies at an altitude of about 800 metres; a layer of clay retains water there over an area of approximately one hectare. These approximate figures refer to two features: the bog’s elevation and the area of the water-retaining clay layer. For planning your trip, Croix Bleue is therefore a natural point of interest in its own right, alongside the marked routes and historic sites.

Compare the outing options

The two options differ mainly in format: Le sentier de la chlorophylle is a six-kilometre circular route, while the Parcours des Croix consists of three marked treasure-hunt routes featuring 35 crosses. This lets you decide whether to base your plans on the length of a single loop or on discovering the crosses.

Discover more destinations: Sarcey, Villié-Morgon, Dième, Monsols, Avenas, Montagny, Chassieu, Tassin-La-Demi-Lune

Return to the regional travel overview: Rhône.