What local gem of Beaujolais am I referring to? ….something what took me ages to learn to pronounce…the tiny yet so beautiful village called Oingt! And so where did I find this real gem of Beaujolais?
Well firstly, online! Because as you should know by now I am totally addicted to Les Plus Beaux Villages of France and I do keep exploring more and more of them. This time i was going to take Route des vins du Beaujolais so I checked quickly what’s on the way…and there it was …small, lovely Oignt. It’s only 30 kilometers from Lyon; it is located in the middle of the Beaujolais region, in the northwest of Lyon and on the West of Villefranche-sur-Saone.
I did find it Route des vins du Beaujolais on a hill called the Pierres Dorées, or Golden Stones. It is an ideal stop on a way when you should have a break from driving, probably have something to eat or just want to move your body, have a small walk up to the hill to admire great landscape of countryside.
I have been enchanted by the lovely Oingt! Let me tell you why…
- It is really one of the Most Beautiful Villages of France
- Its tiny, with a particular atmosphere of the medieval times
- Its beautiful with its charming narrow streets, pretty decorated and houses of locals and home of craftsmen and artists
- It has amazing view from the hill, its ideal spot for a picnic
- There is a church and tower on top of the hill worth visiting. The church comes from the 14 century and its a is the former castle chapel which only the Nizy Gate remains, the main entrance to the village. Today the church is very peaceful and has some golden wooden statues and a gothic choir inside. The tower in Oingt was the dungeon of the castle and was built in 1193.
- Its ideal place for wine lovers offering wine tasting, local food at restaurants. The culture ofthevinehas been introduced by Romans and it is the stilldominantculturenowadays
- Interestingly, this small village became a military fort at the time when the Lyonais area was created in 1783.
- And mostly I felt in love with the honey color walls, the beautiful golden stone from which the village has been built. Its a real gem of the Pays du Pierres Dorees indeed!
I dont think it will take you too long to explore this tiny village but it is a Must Do Stop on your Route des vins du Beaujolais so dont miss it. And if you are in the area, you might consider visiting other nearby attractions. There are few beautiful villages of the Golden Stone Land: Bagnols with its lovely church and castle and Theizé with an castle and a church with 17th century frescoes; Ternand which occupies a wonderful position surrounded by wooded hills and the village of Châtillon d’Azergues.
There are also other places to consider visiting. Check out and decide on where you want to go to the: Jardins du Château de Saint-Bernard with its remarkable garden. It is is located just 8km from Oingt or Parc du château de Laye and its garden – 17km away. I can recommend Parc animalier de Courzieu (22km) and obviously by beloved Lyon!
So this is all for now, I hope I have made you want to explore more of Beaujolais and the local gems. Have fun discovering new places and if you struggle just check out on Les Plus Beaux Villages websites for inspirations. I am sure you will not go wrong with the choice if you look at the most beautiful villages to visit and there are about 155 to choose from! Bon voyage!
