At the heart of Beaujolais, near Villefranche-sur-Saône in the department of Rhône, amid the hills and vines lie some adorable villages of a kind you will not find anywhere else. This is the Land of Golden Stones (Pays des Pierres Dorées). It is named after the limestone used to build the villages, which is a beautiful golden colour. Houses, churches and castles illuminate the landscape and when the sun shines, their façades look even more sublime. Fall under the spell of its medieval villages, built on hills and fortified, with unique and stunningly beautiful architecture!
The Land of Golden Stones comprises forty or so municipalities, some of which are of particular interest. Oingt, one of the Most Beautiful Villages in France, has a very beautiful built heritage and numerous art and craft studios selling pottery, paintings, sculptures, jewellery, blown glass... Jarnioux will impress you with its imposing six-towered castle. Breathe in the fragrant air on Belmont-d'Azergues' flower-adorned paths, and enjoy a beautiful view over the Lyonnais area from the panoramic tower of Mansarde Castle in Charnay, or over the Beaujolais vines from the hilltop village of Ternand. For lovers of old buildings, Montmelas-Saint-Sorlin Castle is a nice place for a historical outing and a pleasant stroll in its park and French formal garden. Rochebonne Castle in Theizé and Bagnols Church are two other buildings not to be missed. Stop by Chamelet, once the bastion of the Lords of Beaujeu, with its timber-framed 16th-century market hall.