Saint-Pal-de-Chalencon, commune of Haute-Loire, on the borders of the Loire and Puy-de-Dôme, is located south of the Monts du Forez, in the heart of the Ance valley at an altitude of nearly 900 m and 30 km from La Chaise-Dieu.
This medieval city labeled “Small City of Character” has many surprises in store for lovers of old stones and authentic villages: castle, fortifications, town entrance gates, Gothic church, houses with turrets, etc...
The village overlooks a vast panorama of forests and pastures valued by many producers and craftsmen and ideal to explore on foot, mountain bike or on horseback.
A Small City of Character that surprises!
Occupied since prehistoric times, Saint-Pal-de-Chalencon turns out to be a real treasure for those who take the time to stop there.
At first glance, there is a website : as offered on a plate, coming from the west, we discover from afar the castle and the church detached from the medieval village.
The visit is done in peace. Several car parks are available around the village.
3 fortified gates open access to the village. THE feudal castle U-shaped, built between the XNUMXth and XNUMXth centuries houses Gothic fireplaces, French ceiling, mullioned windows, gargoyles, coats of arms, etc… and above all a magnificent main staircase located in a hexagonal tower.
The brave will take the famous “Montée des cloches” on a steep slope to reach St. Paul's Church which you absolutely must visit. A pieta in polychrome wood from the XNUMXth century, a descent from the cross painted by a pupil of Delacroix and a very beautiful Black Madonna from the XNUMXth century constitute a set of remarkable works to be discovered absolutely.
Other testimonies of the past in the surrounding countryside
Discovering the Small City of Character of Saint-Pal-de-Chalencon also means embarking on the surrounding paths.
The Piss off Marty, a sort of large granite rock, preserves traces of prehistoric man's life. Our ancestors came here to polish their cutting tools.
Don't be fooled by the banal look of the Chapel of Our Lady of Lorette located at the crossroads of a pilgrimage route to Puy-en-Velay! It contains an exceptional work: a group of 4 polychrome stone figures from the XNUMXth century!
It's very close to here
