Published 29 / 04 / 2021 Reading time: 3 min
Ranked among the "100 Most Beautiful Detours in France" and "Village of Character in the Loire", Charlieu is well worth spending a day there to discover its treasures one by one!
Morning
We start with the essential stopover in Charlieu, the Benedictine abbey. First curiosity, the foundations: excavations have revealed the layout of the churches of the IXe, Xe and XIe centuries. The visit then takes us to the Gothic cloister, then to the chapter house with a Romanesque colonnade in an exceptional state of conservation. The abbey is famous for its sculpted tympanums: that of the monks' church is the oldest visible to this day of Burgundian Romanesque art in France. Its primitive side contrasts with the richness and finesse of execution of that of the narthex.
Midi
At lunchtime, no need to ask for the menu ... charlieu is andouille that you have to taste. As a starter or as a main course, it's your choice. Perhaps you will choose to taste it with mustard cream? Yum !
Afternoon
Take the time to stroll through the old center. Half-timbered houses, Renaissance or classical style residences follow one another, recalling the rich history of the city. Small tour by Saint-Philibert church : its XNUMXth century stallse century are rare and remarkable, their files being decorated with a series of 24 figures painted on wood.
And to finish, Silk museum ou Hospital museum ? Both installed in the old Hôtel-Dieu of the XVIIIe century, the Hospital museum was created to immerse you in a world of emotions: the apothecary with its woodwork, its plant drawers and its earthenware pots, the linen room, the large patient room ... Here, everything has been carefully reconstructed, even the smells, to take you back in time. As for the Silk Museum, it pays homage to the city's flagship activity for two centuries: the manufacture of silk fabrics for haute couture and luxury furnishings. And before leaving, take a detour through the boutique… the creations of the museum's Couture Workshop await you there…
![Démonstration au musée de la Soirerie]()
Demonstration at the Silk Museum © Roannais Tourisme ![Musée hospitalier de Charlieu]()
Charlieu Hospital Museum © Madame Oreille / RT
