Maclas is a commune in the Loire department, in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, 20 km north of Annonay.
Its territory of 10 km² sits on a plateau in the foothills of the Pilat massif, which rises to the northwest, and it dominates the Rhône valley, a few kilometers to the east.
Bordering the Ardèche to the south, the locality has preserved verdant landscapes, with crops covering 53% of its area and forests 19%.
The village developed in the Middle Ages, then belonging to the barons of Malleval. Then, from the 17th century, Maclas was itself erected into a barony whose seat was fixed at the Château du Buisson (in the current commune of Véranne, to the west). The families of Villard then La Beau de Bérard owned it until the Revolution.
At that time, in the 18th century, the first mills dedicated to silk production were set up and in the 19th century, the textile industry became powerful in the town. It declined between the two world wars in the 20th century.
Nowadays, Maclas has some 1800 inhabitants and is famous for its tree crops (fruit production) and a charcuterie (sausage) factory.
Its leisure offer, especially in terms of hiking, deserves the attention of lovers of green tourism...
In terms of heritage, the parish church of Saint-Clair and Saint-Héand was rebuilt from 1886 to 1889 on the foundations of a medieval building. In neo-Romanesque style, it has a plan without a transept but with an ambulatory, and its nave covered in broken vault includes three naves. We observe that the portal is covered by a pediment and that the facade, precisely, is surmounted by a steeple surrounded by two round turrets. At the apse, the square bell tower with twin bay floors supports a polygonal spire.
The town hall (19th century), the association house housed in a former religious school and the singular charm of the "ruettes", these small pedestrian streets in the old centre, complete this panorama. To this must be added the Maison du Gambadon, an old farm now dedicated to local artists and which regularly hosts exhibitions (information on +33 6 68 95 37 30 or +33 4 74 87 34 13).
On the culture side, precisely, are also to be taken into account the activities regularly offered at the library (contact at +33 4 74 48 64 80) and the shows scheduled at the village hall (join the town hall at +33 4 74 87 38 04).
For tennis lovers, courts can be reserved with the local club on +33 6 81 33 39 45.
Then place the vast potential offered in terms of hikes, which will allow you to enjoy natural sites such as the waterfall d'Eperdussin to the south, the Malleval gorges and the Saut de Lorette waterfall to the east, towards the Rhône valley... The loops are punctuated by panoramic views of Pilat to the north or of the Alpine peaks beyond the Rhône, when the weather is clear…
In detail, on the territory of the commune, two hiking trails are marked which are connected to the vast network of paths available on the Pilat massif (a total of 600km!). Hikers who prefer mountain biking are also in for a treat, with dedicated circuits and downhill or enduro tracks.
From Maclas, the hilly and green landscapes are also accessible by all-terrain scooters via the Zig Zag 3T club (possibility of being accompanied by a guide): contact +33 6 81 47 78 24.
The Pil association 'Anes offers for its part hikes with pack donkeys (information on +33 6 09 05 85 00) and the "Amaruq inu" club allows you to consider walks with sled dogs (towing karts in summer or autumn and sleds in snowy weather) or "cani-rando" (inquire on +33 7 86 18 91 19).
Finally, it is worth mentioning the easy access from the town to the ViaRhôna, this secure route reserved for soft modes of transport which runs along the Rhône from Lake Geneva to the Camargue.
For hikers, maps and information on +33 4 74 87 52 00. At this same number, all information relating to events, exhibitions, workshops and thematic hikes organized by the Regional Natural Park of Pilat (of which the town is a member) is available.).
