There are many characterful elevated villages in Haute-Loire. In the Livradois foothills 15 kilometres north of Brioude, Auzon is a fortified medieval village located on a rocky spur for strategic and defensive reasons.
Its architectural heritage is rich: a castle, remains of ramparts, a wall walk and a remarkable 12th-century Romanesque church classified as a Historic Monument. A former Benedictine collegiate church flanked by an imposing porch with sculpted capitals, the latter houses several gems, including a beautiful stone statue of Our Lady of the Portal from the late 15th century and a Romanesque Christ figure reliquary in polychrome wood from the late 12th century.
The walk through the old fortified village is also particularly pleasant with its cobbled streets, old houses and hanging gardens.
Other attractions to discover include the Pays d'Auzon Ecomuseum containing many objects from life in bygone days, the 15th-century Brugelet Gate and the 12th-century market hall in the heart of the medieval village.
Commune de Haute-Loire, Auzon is located in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, in the heart of the borough of Brioude. Limitrophe of the Puy-de-Dôme department, it takes place on a rocky peak, surrounded by mountains with difficult accesses.
This small village of nearly 900 inhabitants seduces by its medieval architecture, as well as by its rich heritage. It also unveils a preserved nature, as well as a great authenticity.
In Auzon, traditions and history are preserved in order to attract visitors and make them want to know more about the secrets of this ancestral city. Strolling through the cobbled alleys, in the middle of the old mansions, you will make pleasant discoveries and dive into the heart of the past.
Listed as a Historic Monument, the castle of Auzon was built between the 14th and 16th centuries. Partly demolished in the 17th century, the building was almost completely destroyed following the French Revolution. Installed on a rocky outcrop, it still has a staircase tower from the old main building, as well as a vaulted room decorated with a mural. Private property, the castle also has a fortified gate, vestiges of exterior fortifications, as well as vaulted cellars. The castle garden has been listed in the general inventory of cultural heritage.
Classified in the inventory of Historic Monuments, the Saint-Laurent church is actually a former Benedictine collegiate church in the Romanesque style with a strong Languedoc influence. Built in the 12th century, it also features two superimposed chapels in the Gothic style added later, as well as paintings from the 14th and 16th centuries. Inside, you can also admire a wooden Christ reliquary from the 12th century, statues from the 15th century, as well as an original leather and wrought iron door.
As you walk through Auzon, you can discover two other sites listed as Historic Monuments, the Porte du Brugelet, as well as the halls of the town.
Several natural sites are to be discovered during hikes, such as the valleys of Saint-Jean-Saint-Gervais and the Auzon stream.
The ecomuseum of the country of Auzon: In the heart of the medieval city, in the basement of the town hall and in the courtyard of the old school, the ecomuseum offers you a panorama of ancient traditions and know-how of the rural world of the past century. In the different rooms based on reconstituted scenes and collections of objects that relate the traditional activities of the past, we discover the work of the land and the vine, as well as the trades: clog maker, blacksmith, wheelwright, trimmer, lacemaker, washerwoman... A house interior, with the usual objects of everyday life will give you a glimpse of a bygone past where we find: old toys, kitchen utensils, equipment used for the preparation of butter, cheese and other household activities. The classroom will give you back the nostalgia of the inkwell, the pen holder, the slate and the writing notebook. The Ecomuseum is open from July 1 to August 31 or by appointment on +33 4 71 76 18 11. from 1947 to the present day. This collection of around fifty Vespas is thus lovingly assembled and presented. A visit that does not lack originality! Do not hesitate to come and take a look. Those nostalgic for the sixties will find today's teenagers around these machines that have become fashionable again. Open all year by appointment on +33 6 73 05 55 98.
Weekly market every Sunday morning.
A Retro party, every year in April, which attracts more than 3000 people (old vehicles, costumed people, election miss pin-up, parade).
At the beginning of July, medieval festival at the castle with historical reconstructions and various activities revolving around the Middle Ages.
Christmas market in December.
