High Point Holidays - Walking Cylcling Holidays in France

Your Holiday at a Glance

Guided walking tour	Beaujolais Medieval Village Tour
Dates for 2012	2 - 8 June NOW FULLY BOOKED
Price	£655 (single supplement £125)
Grade	grade explained
Profile	6 days: 5 days guided walking circuit moving between guest houses Minimum group number of 4
Highlights	Historic villages made from a warm golden limestone including Theizé, Chatillon and Oignt classified as one of the prettiest villages in France Varied walking through vines, pastures and forests Sweeping views across rolling Beaujolais countryside reminiscent of Tuscany Lovely B&B's where a warm welcome and great food is guaranteed Wine tasting in local vineyards and visiting historic monuments
Accommodation and Meals	6 nights accommodation in several charming guest houses, double or twin rooms with own bathrooms (2 and 3 star equivalent). All breakfasts included, all lunches with the exception of arrival and departure days and 6 evening meals
What's included	Airport and station transfers from Lyon. 6 nights' accommodation. All breakfasts, 5 lunches and 6 evening meals 5 day's guided walking Transport of luggage between guest houses
What's not included	Travel between the UK and Lyon, France Lunches on the day of arrival and departure Transfers, other than those from Lyon. Any excursions or entrance fees Travel insurance
	Similar holidays in the Beaujolais: Beaujolais Discovery - Beaujolais Vintage Wine Trail Return to list of guided walking holidays Return to home page

Beaujolais Medieval Village Tour

This guided walking holiday takes place in the Beaujolais region, located to the north and east of Lyon, which is made up of a series of rolling hills getting progressively higher as you go north. Despite the relatively gentle nature of their slopes, the scale of the peaks and the depths of the valleys create a landscape of great panoramas and rich contrasts. The character of the hills changes with altitude as the vines give way to forests and pastures on the higher slopes.

Your guided walking holiday follows a 5-day circuit in the south of the Beaujolais region. Made up of about 40 parishes, this area is known as “Golden stones country” (pierre dorées), due to the colour of the limestone used in its historic buildings. Here, your walking holiday will pass through a number of remarkable villages with some of the prettiest villages in France perched on hilly promontories. Wherever you look, you'll find fortified remains, chateaux or churches adorning the vine covered slopes. The scale and gentleness of the slopes has created a sumptuous landscape of interlocking hills receding to the horizon, that literally leaves you with the impression of flying over the hills. This picturesque wine growing area is often referred to as the local Tuscany due to the similarities in their expansive landscapes. Your walking or hiking holiday covers a circular tour around the heart of this golden stones area, visiting about 15 of these picturesque and well preserved villages. For the most part, the region is relatively undiscovered in terms of walking holidays and therefore you will enjoy quiet, unspoilt trails.

Find out more abouth the Beaujolais region and it's average weather conditions

Walking profile

This guided walking holiday is made up of a 5 day circuit, walking between guest houses. The walks average about 15km with limited ascents and descents which total between 200 and 460m in a day. The paths are generally good although some sections can be rough and stoney in places with the odd steeper section. This walking holiday includes easier and longer days.

location of beaujolais region in France

Day 1: Arrival

Welcome, drive to Cogny and settle in to your first guest house.

Day 2: Oingt - Cogny

The first day of our guided walking holiday starts by ascending to Oingt, classified as one of the prettiest villages in France. Here you can explore its narrow alleyways and admire the amazing views of the southern Beaujolais from its promenade. Afterwards the path climbs onto a picturesque ridge that leads to another quiant medieval village: Theizé. After lunch you take a path that contours beneath the higher hills crossing secluded valleys including one which harbours the pretty village of Ville sur Jarnioux. Wine tasting visit. 15km, +400m

Day 3: Cogny - Pommiers

Today's trail passes through vines and the beautiful limestone village of Jarnioux with its amazing multi-towered chateau. Our trail then climbs to the lovely hill-top village of Pommiers, offering great panoramic views of the Beaujolais and the Alps before a short walk to your next B&B. 15km, +360m

Day 4: Pommiers - Chessy

Today your walking route takes you through the forest of Alix and up to a picturesque ridgeline separating the Beaujolais hills from the Saone Valley. The walk passes through the historic and beautiful ridge top villages of Marcy with its ancient communications tower and Charnay with its small winding lanes. From here the walking trails descends to the fortified village of Châtillon d'Azergues with its historic chateau and chapel, before the short walk to your guest house in a historic property in the village of Chessy. 16km, +200m

Day 5: Chessy - St Verand

This day starts with a visit of the village, before climbing out out of the valley to reach the historic village of Bagnols with its impressive chateau and great views of the Mont Lyonnais hills. The walking trail then follows a former railway line making for a gentle descent to the village of Bois d'Oingt which acts as an important local centre. The walking trails then passes through the village of Legny before traversing the wildlife trail in the forest of Flachère. Your next guest house is located on an organic farm overlooking the Azergues Valley. 17km, +340m

Day 6: St Verand - Oignt

Today's walk takes us along a ridge offering great panoramic views of the hilltop villages on the opposite side of the valley, before descending to the small and quaint historic centre at Ternand, once an important fortified outpost for the Lords of Lyon. After crossing the Azergues Valley, the route climbs to the village of St Laurent d'Oingt with its isolated hill-top chapel. Your guest house is set on the valley slopes in a sea of vines. 14km, +460m

Day 7: Departure

Transfer to Lyon and return from France

beaujolais guided walking holiday oingt village

jarnioux village and chateau France

french guided walks in Beaujolais

medieval village in golden stone region of Beaujolais

historic village of oingt wine walking tour

guided walking holiday in France vines

Please note the exact itinerary is subject to change, depending on the availability of certain guest houses. However, the walking route will remain largely unchanged.

Once you have booked on this guided walking or trekking holiday, further information about the walking, the region and what to bring, will be sent to you. We do have a web page dedicated to what clothes and equipment you should bring. In addition, our travel shop has direct access to all the top walking and travel retailers. Please contact us if you need any further information.

Accommodation & Meals

On this guided walking holiday in the southern Beaujolias, you will stay in a number of charming guest houses full of local character (3 corns quality). All rooms have private bathrooms. Examples of the guest houses used on the holiday are shown below.

A hearty and healthy continental breakfast provides the perfect opportunity to discover the local specialities such as home-made jams and local cheeses. At midday you will eat packed lunches prepared by your hosts. Evening meals will also be taken at your guest houses with your hosts, where you will be treated to great local dishes, accompanied by the local wines. It will also be a chance to enjoy the company of your hosts and find out more about the local way of life.

Name	Type	Details	Rating
Montgelin	B&B	Historic 19th farmhouse fully restored in the hamlet of Montgelin overlooking the Beaujolais vineyards near Oignt	3 Corns
La Villa Toscana	B&B	Historic house full of character located in a small hamlet near the village of Cogny overlooking the Beaujolais vineyards	3 Corns

Travel Options

Flight Options

Transfers from Lyon airport

Transfers between Lyon Airport or train station and the Beaujolais region of France are included in the price of your independent walking holiday.

The airlines Easy jet, BMI and British Airways have scheduled flights from the UK - Stanstead, Manchester and Heathrow - to Lyon St Exupery airport.

Please visit our travel shop for links to useful sites for reserving airport parking or booking train tickets

Note: Please check concerning the availability of a holiday before booking any flights. If you need further information or would like to discuss any aspect of your travel arrangements, please contact us, we’re here to help you. We would be happy to book travel arrangents to Lyon, France on your behalf.

By Train

Eurostar and the TGV provide a relaxing journey from London to Lyon Part Dieu changing at Lille. Please use Rail Europe's train finder to organise your train journey.

There is a practical train time leaving London at 9am and arriving in Lyon at 3pm. Please contact us before booking to check for other practical times.

Self Drive

Channel ferry crossings from Dover are provided by a number of operators including:

P&O Ferries

Norfolk Line

Once in France, the journey from Calais to the Beaujolais area takes about 7 hours (excluding long breaks).

Tolls amount to about 35 euros each way. Controlled parking is available at the airport for 50 euros. Other secure but non-surveilled parking is available free of charge.