Saint-Marcellin-En-Forez: Holiday Apartments and Holiday Homes

The old centre of Saint-Marcellin-en-Forez is surrounded by a double town wall dating from the 13th and 15th centuries.

Those considering Saint-Marcellin-en-Forez as a holiday destination may wish to rent a holiday apartment.

Culture and History

The Romanesque Sainte-Catherine Chapel contains a medieval fresco in the tympanum of its portal depicting the martyrdom of Saint Catherine, and today houses the municipal library. The first defensive enclosure comprised five semicircular towers, two of which remain. The first fortification wall, built at the beginning of the 13th century, can be seen from the car park at the town hall. A stroll through the picturesque streets of Saint-Marcellin-en-Forez reveals numerous historic houses.

The former village parish church now houses the Espace Revel. The Maison de l’Armorial is located in the fully restored former residence of the castle governors. The building was constructed from the 14th century onwards and houses an interactive area dedicated to Guillaume Revel’s armorial. The Maison de l’Armorial also includes a small room where visitors can learn about the language of heraldry in a playful way.

A 15th-century house belonging to the municipality preserves fireplaces, a large tiled hall, French ceilings and a stone heat-storage stove. The Pont de Vérines, also known as the Pont du Diable or Pont Peyrard, is a historic two-arch bridge that has been classified as a Monument historique since 1921. The Pont du Diable is thought to have kept dry a route used for the trade in lime between Saint-Marcellin-en-Forez and Velay.

Saint-Marcellin-en-Forez had two historic traboules: one provided a shortcut between Place Sainte-Catherine and the town centre, while the other connected the outside of the town wall with the castrum, the church district. The Maison du Colombier was built in 1636 in a style that revived an outdated medieval military vocabulary.

Nature

The L’Aventure du Rail hiking trail connects Saint-Marcellin-en-Forez with Estivareilles and can be used on foot, by bicycle or on horseback. The L’Aventure du Rail area has a bicycle pump station, a children’s playground, picnic tables and environmentally friendly public toilets.

The La Mare route follows a former railway line and the La Mare river, which rises at an altitude of 1,200 metres in the Monts du Forez; along the way, you can discover the Pont du Diable.

More local pages: Saint-Cyr-Les-Vignes, Sainte-Colombe-sur-Gand, La Fouillouse, Marlhes, La Terrasse-Sur-Dorlay, Saint-Julien-Molin-Molette, Malleval, Marcoux.

To the higher-level travel overview: Loire.