Presentation
The micro-adventures of the Beaujolais Geopark guide you through wide open spaces and introduce you to local producers. On this walking route, discover Anse, the Château des Tours, and the Lucenay quarry.
During this walking route, discover Anse, the Château des Tours and the Lucenay quarry.
South of Villefranche-sur-Saône, Anse occupies a strong position in
the history of the Beaujolais region.
Located at the confluence of the Azergues and the Saône, the Gallo-Roman city of Asa Paulini was an important stop on the Roman road that led from Lugdunum (Lyon) to Matisco (Mâcon).
Numerous remains have been discovered in the surrounding area, notably a Roman villa at La Grange du Bief, part of whose recovered mosaic is on display at the Château des Tours. The castle was founded in the 13th century.
It is an important building in the city. Adorned with white stone, it overlooks the old Anse and many other buildings.
The route then continues south, following the Azergues River. Closest to the river, agricultural areas predominate, favored by alluvial soils ideal for cereal and vegetable cultivation. Turning west, you'll come to a small, elongated hill about fifteen kilometers long (between Villefranche and Lozanne). At its foot lies the village of Lucenay, which, like Anse, boasts an architectural heritage that stands out from the rest of the Pierres Dorées region.
Indeed, the most noticeable feature is the white color of the walls, resulting from the exploitation of local limestone in numerous surrounding quarries.
Locally called "Lucenay stone", it is a limestone composed almost exclusively of oolites (small spherical concretions less than 2mm in diameter).
diameter). This one was formed about 165 million years ago, in a turbulent, shallow marine environment (0-10 meters).
Stop producers: Coeur de Ferme is a producers' store in Lucenay that offers local, seasonal products, sold directly by the producers.
Type : Marked loop
Distance : 11.1km
Elevation : 110m
Duration : 3h
Difficulty : Moderate
Marking details
Green Geopark