Lyons-la-Forêt

Lyons-la-Forêt, ranked among The Most Beautiful Villages of France, is nestled in the heart of the Lyons national forest.

If you fancy a stay or a weekend in the countryside in Normandy less than two hours from Paris, Lyons-la-Forêt and its surrounding villages are a small concentrate of Normandy countryside, with the charm and authenticity expected.

Its colorful half-timbered houses and brick pink, flowered streets and forest hiking trails make it a destination of choice for a great escape in Normandy countryside less than 2 hours from Paris and 40 minutes from Rouen.

The 11 000 hectares of the forest of Lyons, magnificent beech cathedral, are conducive to nature walks and hikes.

The village was built on the site of a castle built in the twelfth century by Henry I Beauclerc. It is structured around its ancient feudal mound.

The hall of the eighteenth (ISMH) is at the center of a vibrant space in which to linger: the small village market is held 3 times a week.

cafe terraces and restaurant around this hall come to life at the slightest ray of sunshine.

In 1932, these halls were used as decoration at the scene of the agricultural show in the film by Jean Renoir, and also in 1990 in that of Claude Chabrol titled both "Madame Bovary".

City Hall (ISMH), which is open to visitors, has preserved the room "bailiwick" with its eighteenth-century court of decor and exceptional hanging fleurdelysÚe. The ground floor houses ancient dungeons of which is reconstituted.

We love to stroll among old brick houses timbered Norman pink or sometimes dating from the sixteenth century down the street Bout-de-Bas, which leads to the Lieure and St. Denis Church (XII - XVI ISMH), passing before former convents.

Many artists have stayed at Lyons. Near the hall, the family home of the academician Benserade Isaac, who was the poet Louis XIV's court, can be recognized from its timber ocher.

Below the hall, the living house of Maurice Ravel, who wrote the Tombeau de Couperin, imposing property in the Norman style.

Along the Lieure, old mills and other houses of artists such as André Masson and Paul-Emile Pissarro, line the street Bout-de-down with its flowered houses with multicolored studs.

Enjoy your stay to explore the historic sites and remarkable cultural nearby: abbeys, castles, museums, parks and art galleries visit it between two nature outings and incentives to extend his stay.

Consider making a stop at the Tourist Office on arrival: located close to the hall, you will be given an explanatory plan Lyons. Their tour guide is a goldmine of good places (flea markets, farms and local produce, crafts, good local tables and business ideas...). They also offer a wide selection of marked hiking trails, some of which pass through cultural sites open to visitors in season, such as the Abbey of Mortemer or that of Notre Dame de Fontaine-Guérard, treasures of medieval architecture.

For your stay, its small surrounding villages offer a wide selection of houses and charming guest rooms in timbered houses and bricks, surrounded by rolling green landscapes and dominated by the forest of Lyons largest beech grove of France. Also to note, the center of the village of Lyons, La Licorne Hotels and the Grand Cerf, with their spas and restaurants, including The Royal Unicorn, 1 Michelin star, is a great choice for a weekend getaway.