18 kilometers from the town of Roanne, Ambierle dominates the Roanne plain, in the north of the Loire department and at the gateway to Auvergne. Ambierle, established on a promontory 400 meters above sea level, is located at the crossroads of the Santiago de Compostela and Via Sancti Martini paths.
With its Michelin-starred restaurant, its vineyard, its shortbread and its pottery, Ambierle is also a Book Village labeled “Villages of Character in the Loire”. Like the municipalities of Saint-Jean-Saint-Maurice-sur-Loire, Saint-Haon-le-Châtel, Le Crozet and Perreux. Ambierle owes its fame to a Benedictine abbey. Integrated into the order of Cluny in 938, its origin is lost in the mists of time. The village and its monastery will follow its destiny until the Revolution of 1789.
Ambierle on the World Heritage List?
The priory of Ambierle is one of the 109 Cluniac sites officially involved in a joint application to include “Cluny and the Cluniac places” on the UNESCO world heritage list. Find out more
The photo spot
As you approach the hilltop village, surrounded by vineyards, the priory appears, located at its top, dominating. Glazed tiles, colored in the Burgundian fashion adorn the flamboyant Gothic-style church.
What to do in Ambierle?
- Bookbinding workshop with the association " Book village »
- Family activity at Alice Taverne museum,
- Guided tour of the village and Priory.
Family holidays in Ambierle?
The town offers many accommodation options to stay one night or more. The village is home to lodges and guest rooms with swimming pools and a magnificent view of the historic center. The list of accommodation is available and some can be booked online.
Historical & religious walk
The Cluniac priory of Ambierle, presents the visitor with architectural testimonies from different eras, spreading between the XNUMXthe and the middle of the XVIIIe century when it was completely modified and restored.
Let's go through the prioral church of the XVe century, in flamboyant Gothic style, with its sumptuous roof with glazed tiles, reminiscent of that of the hospices of Beaune. What can we say about the masterpiece it houses? An altarpiece dated 1466, gift from Michel de Chaugy, lord and chamberlain of the Duke of Burgundy Philippe the Good. He wanted to honor the memory of his parents buried in the priory. It presents paintings attributed to the great Flemish painter Rogier van der Weyden, as well as fine sculptures evoking the Passion of Christ. We cross its old cloister and finish with the old Saint-Nizier bell tower from the XNUMXth century.e century, which will ring the end of the visit with its 5 manual chime bells, the oldest of which is the last recorded in France by the foundry “Mahuret”.
The Cluniac Priory
The priory complex, fortified in the XNUMXthe century in the middle of the Hundred Years' War, presents the visitor with architectural elements from the different eras which have marked its history. The eye will inevitably be drawn to the imposing convent building, completely rebuilt between 1753 and 1757, where the monastic community lived.
The church Prioral
Placed under the name of Saint-Martin, the priority church is the work of prior Antoine de Balzac d'Entragues. It was built between 1460 and 1490. It still has a superb set of stained glass windows executed between 1470 and 1480, representing among others, the patron saints of all the parishes in which the prior appointed to the parish.
The narrowness of its nave, 16 meters high, gives it the appearance of a small cathedral, the choir of which is illuminated by a large glass roof, showing in its center the face of its builder in the guise of Saint Anthony.
The Passion Altarpiece
Michel de Chaugy, first butler and chamberlain of the Duke of Burgundy Philippe le Bon, donated this Flemish polyptych altarpiece to the church of Ambierle in 1476. The four painted panels present the donor, his wife and his parents. Polychrome sculptures in the round that retrace the Passion of Christ occupy the central part. We do not know the name of the sculptor who worked on this altarpiece. On the other hand, the paintings have been attributed to the great Brussels painter Roger Van der Weyden.
Promontory of the Madonna
A monumental statue surrounded by 14 crosses, the Madonna dominates the village of Ambierle and marks the start of the Châtelard promontory. A legend locates a hidden treasure in an underground passage that would open at midnight on Christmas Eve, but only during the 12 strokes… The panorama is magnificent!
The Alice Taverne museum
Alice Taverne has created a museum bearing witness to the life of our countryside. From the village grocery store, to the peasant house, via the classroom or the bonesetter's lair, the visitor immerses himself in the daily life of our ancestors. The Alice Taverne museum brings together fun activities for young and old.
The Country House
Former monks' refectory, now revisited as a tourist information center in the heart of the village where topographical guides, regional books, postcards, and a wide choice of local and artisanal products are on sale.
Agenda
- Summer markets - July August
Every Friday evening in July and August, local producers meet to share convivial moments in the center of the village.
- The comic book festival - September
Every 4e September weekend, the “Village du livre” association honors comic strips. Two days of meetings with a host of authors. A total of 40 authors are present each year. On the program: exhibitions, signings, bookstore stands, second-hand booksellers, publishers and also youth workshops, conferences and events. Find out more
- The spring of wine in Côte Roannaise - may
See you on Pentecost Sunday in the village of Ambierle! The beauty of its architecture and its wine-growing landscape will be the witnesses of a day of meeting and exchange. On the program: a tasting tour to meet the winegrowers and their wines, a gourmet meal and an evening wine festival.
PRACTICAL INFORMATION
Character Village - Ambierle
The Priory
42820
Ambierle
Marion's opinion
Above the vineyard, Ambierle and its priory enchanted me. This village of character where we will love to spend happy and languid days: an invitation to la dolce vita or lazing around. An advice ? After visiting the village and the priory, stop at the Prieuré restaurant and taste the dishes of the starred chef, Thierry Fernandes.
