Saint-Forgeux is a commune in the Rhône, in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, 40 km north-west of Lyon, and near Tarare.
Its territory of 22 km² extends from 340 to 800 m above sea level, crossed by the course of the Torrenchin, and is located on the mountains of Tarare, halfway between Roanne and Lyon, to the south-west of Beaujolais.
Presenting a hilly and green character, dominated by the Roche Billet, its highest point, the town is made up of a village and several hamlets, and has always been oriented towards agriculture and crafts.
Saint-Forgeux developed from the Middle Ages and one of the chapels built then remained for a long time a very popular place of pilgrimage from the 14th century.
Now counting nearly 1,500 inhabitants, the locality has an interesting leisure offer in the heart of a preserved environment.
In terms of heritage, we will first observe, in the village, the Saint-Ferréol church which was built from 1828 to 1835 (for the bell tower) on the site of an earlier building. A bas-relief, at the level of the tympanum, represents Saint Ferréol and inside, it houses a beautiful chapel dedicated to the Virgin. A bell dated 1503, which makes it one of the oldest in the diocese of Lyon, is still in use.
During expansion work carried out in 1880, the portal of the primitive church, made of Glay stone, was recovered and then moved: it now marks the access to the presbytery.
In the hamlet of Grévilly, the eponymous chapel dates from the 11th century and has a Romanesque style: we notice the bell tower, the original choir with its medieval wall frescoes, and its well-preserved stone vault. The nave has been altered but we admire the frame which was made with tree trunks. Located on a mountain some 540 m above sea level, a place of pilgrimage since 1322, the chapel houses many ex-votos (in marble or on canvas or prints) dating from the War of 1870 or the First World War.
Near the chapel restored in the 1980s and 1990s (open to the public every day from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.), an orientation table is available which allows you to take full advantage of a superb viewpoint: the visitors can admire the surrounding villages but also the Monts d'Or, the Lyon metropolis and, in good weather, the Jura and Alps massifs.
We will also mention the Château de Ronzière, built in the 19th century, which was first a hunting rendezvous, then became a holiday camp center and now houses lodges and guest rooms. Information on +33 6 86 56 73 48.
In a different register, we must finally mention to the north of the locality the Goutte Vignole viaduct, partly located on the territory: 622 m long, 74 m high, it was built in steel and concrete in 2011 during the development of the A 89 motorway which links Bordeaux to Lyon via Clermont-Ferrand.
On the culture side, activities (meetings, readings) are regularly offered at the library. Information on +33 4 74 05 93 08.
For athletes, please note that the municipal gymnasium, the Tram play area and the football stadium are accessible. And to book a tennis court, contact the local club on +33 6 36 35 89 44.
Thrill seekers will note for their part that a club dedicated to free flight (or paragliding), the Délices d'Eole, is located in the village. All information on +33 4 74 63 13 11.
The Torranchin river is reputed to be rich in trout. Fishermen can take advantage of this potential: find out about suitable sites and regulations from the local company on +33 4 74 05 73 92.
Fans of hiking have several marked trails available which are dotted with panoramas of the surrounding reliefs (Monts du Lyonnais), wooded plots, bucolic sites. For the more courageous, forays to Beaujolais in the northeast are possible. Maps and information on +33 4 74 05 72 78 or +33 4 74 05 49 29.