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Chateau Bouthéon in Forez, Rhône-Alpes
A short drive from the Roannais enroute to Saint Etienne in the Forez region of the Rhône-Alpes there is a stunning château.
Of course, France is full of beautiful château’s of different architectural styles and merits, both large and small. Château Bouthéon is a particularly fine example of well-preserved history, beautifully landscaped gardens, and collection of farm animals.
All open to the public, and great for families to visit and learn a little more about country life, flora and fauna.
Close to Saint Etienne situated between the Rhône Valley and the Central Massif, overlooking the plains of the Loire Valley, the Château de Bouthéon has been given a new lease of life which is very much in line with the region’s current concern to protect and enhance local heritage.
This magnificent residence once home to the Bourbons in the 15th century then the Gadagne family in the 16th century, was extended in the 19th century, and has undergone extensive restoration and refurbishment since ownership was taken over by the town of Adrézieux-Boutheon in 1995.
This exceptional site, emblem of the towns’ past, and indeed, that of the whole Forez region, is steadily staking a claim as one of the prominent tourist attractions of the area, and a signficant factor for its current fame.
A subtle blend of history, architecture, countryside, the Château offers the visitor a breathtaking vista over the hills of the Forez which, alongside its 24 acres of animal park and botanic gardens, set the landscape off to perfection.
Add to this, special interactive events organised by the Forez Exhibition Centre and soon you find yourself on an unforgettable journey of discovery.
Although also an ideal place for business conferences, meetings and exhibitions, Château Bouthéon offers more than just a place for relaxation and leisure. The Château has undertaken to protect natural heritage by breeding threatened animal species and growing rare botanical specimens.
A place of wonder and discovery, the park invites you to enter into an animal and vegetable kingdom which is totally in communion with nature. Along its paths you will be delighted to encounter, and at surprisingly close quarters, forgotten species such as aurochs, rare breeds of goats and pigeons, draft horses…which will become as familiar to the contemporary visitor as they were to our forbears.
Laid out in themes, the botanic trail will lead you through the traditional French garden, the fegetable plot, the rose garden, the bamboo collection, an orchard and plots of aromatic plants.
The parkland of the Château de Bouthéon is the living demonstration that concern for the environment produces a harmonious universe of nature and culture.
When you visit the Roannais, here in the magnificent Rhône-Alpes region, a short trip to this fascinating château is obligatory.
Museum of Modern Art in Saint-Etienne
This is an excellent art museum to visit if you want to see a wide collection of modern art works, displayed and presented in a contemporary and imaginative way.
There are high quality works from selected modern artists permanently on display, but there are also regular seasonal changes with new themes, new artists, and a variety of events.
Currently through the 2009 summer season there is a special exhibition of Braco Dimitrijevic, born in Sarajevo in 1948.
Braco is an artist who pioneered ‘conceptual art’ with his first installation ‘The Flag of the World’ in 1963.
His new installation ‘Triptychos Post Historicus’, part of his work on symbolism, is in a special collection at the ‘Musée d’Art Moderne in Saint-Etienne.
During August there is also a special ‘Ecological’ theme running through the whole gallery called Fragile: Terres d’empathie, which features many different international artists and sculptors.
This varied and remarkable Expo reflects concerns, both poetic and ‘real’, about the earth, nature, and the modern world around us. There is much ‘food for thought’ here, and all is very impressive.
Great for a visit by all the family, whether you are an art professional or not. So combine it with a trip to the town of Saint-Etienne, or when you are enroute to the Auvergne or Puy-de-Dôme.
Musée d’Art Moderne Saint-Etienne – www.mam-st-etienne.fr
Swords and Sorcery at Chateau de Clayette near the Roannais
An exciting day and evening was had by all at chateau de la Clayette at the end of July. Sorcery, Swords and magic in a fantastic medieval setting.
This is a classic French chateau, absolutely perfect for staging a medieval event with son et lumiere.
A medieval village had been set up in the grounds of the chateau with people in appropriate period costume. The huge, ancient chateau gates were opened at 7.00 pm. revealing a wonderful medieval fête with a variety of activities, stalls, and entertainment.
There was plenty for all the family to enjoy, with fire-eaters, stone masons, dancers, and all manner of medieval crafts, jewellery and hat-makers.
All children had the opportunity of entering the world of the medieval knight by sampling the techniques of jousting, sword fighting, and use of bow and arrow. And after they had gone through their training and rites du passage they were knighted by the king and queen, and given a parchment scroll with their name written into the history of La Clayette – wonderful!
All, of course, done with the easy, low-key, panache, that only the French seem to be able to manage on these occasions.
After the preliminary festivities everybody were gathered and seated (over 300 people) with the stunning backdrop of the ancient chateau walls and turrets setting the scene for the first chapter of the Sorcerers Story and the Magic Sword. The colour, lighting, dress and drama were magnificent, with knights on horseback in all their regalia, and brilliant special effects.
The whole event lasted over two and a half hours! Until 12.30 am. Well worth another visit next year – absolutely no doubt!