Saint-Germain-Nuelles: Heritage and Nature

Saint-Germain-Nuelles brings together historic buildings, the Carrières de Glay, classified as an Espace Naturel Sensible, and several signposted routes. When planning your visit, it is worth distinguishing between a short connecting path, a route to the quarries and the designated mountain bike circuit: the route details describe different ways to explore the town and its surroundings.

Heritage in Saint-Germain-Nuelles and Nuelles

The Croix du Mont is the only monument in Saint-Germain-Nuelles classified as a historic monument. It bears a sculpted depiction of Bishop Germain dating from 1532. The church of Saint-Rambert in Nuelles offers a different perspective on the town’s history: its existence is documented as early as 962, and the building is attributed to the Romanesque period. The upper part of the portal is attributed to the Flamboyant Gothic style of the 15th century. The church thus brings together an early historical record and a later Gothic architectural feature—two different dates that can be distinguished when viewing the building.

Carrières de Glay: Nature and the History of Limestone

The Carrières de Glay are classified as an Espace Naturel Sensible because of their diverse animal and plant life and rare species such as bats and orchids. The site is open to walkers year-round; a purpose-built path with information panels runs around the site. A visit also provides insight into the history and techniques of extracting the yellow limestone typical of the southern Beaujolais. Natural habitats and limestone extraction are therefore two distinct themes to explore at the same site. If you are planning your visit, check the current access conditions as a precaution.

Walking and Cycling Routes

An 830-metre walking and cycling path connects the two town centres. It opened in spring 2020 and is already accessible to young children. This short connection is easy to distinguish from longer routes: the Circuit Les Carrières de Glay starts in the town centre and leads to the quarries. The Entre Bully et Saint Germain Nuelles cycling route also passes through Saint-Germain-Nuelles.

A route signposted with PDIPR markers is Entre vignes, lavoirs et croix de chemin. It passes through Le Bourg, La Charrière, Le Bouchat, back through Le Bourg, Les Garines, the Lavoir du Suc, Les Grandes Terres and Les Fouillouses, then returns via La Charrière to the church car park. These landmarks give you a clear guide to the route.

The similarly named Circuit VTT 54 – Les Carrières de Glay is a separate mountain bike loop: it is 20.5 kilometres long and includes 457 metres of elevation gain. VTT-FFC markers and the red number 54 identify it. The circuit can be ridden freely and free of charge year-round; check access conditions before setting off. By comparison, the 830-metre path is the short connection between the town centres, while the details for the VTT loop also specify its length and elevation gain.

More Activities for Different Interests

The Balade de Griz'loup à Saint-Germain is a family-friendly walking trail for children, with questions available to download along the way. The Balade de Griz'loup à Nuelles, by contrast, is a self-guided walk to discover the hamlet of Nuelles. The two activities therefore have different focuses: one centres on questions for children along a walking trail, while the other explores the hamlet on a self-guided walk.

If you are interested in cycling or mountain biking, V.T.T. Vélo Terroir et Territoire in Saint-Germain-Nuelles offers activities to discover, get started and improve your skills, as well as courses for individuals and groups of all levels. Confirm that the activity is currently available before booking.

Discover more destinations: Dardilly, Saint-Vincent-De-Reins, Saint-Apollinaire, Saint-Pierre-La-Palud, Beaujeu, Bessenay, Saint-André-La-Côte, Marcilly-D'azergues.

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