Roanne and the Roannais in 4 days
Roanne lives by the Loire and by the Troisgros family, holders of three Michelin stars for decades and now based at Ouches. Around the town, the river runs through gorges to the Château de la Roche, the canal heads for Digoin, and the Côte Roannaise lays its gamay vines above medieval villages.
The plan, day by day
Day 1
- Morning
Le Central, the Troisgros bistro in Roanneabout 2 hOpposite the station, the Troisgros family runs a delicatessen and a restaurant of lively home cooking, with a menu that changes every week.
- Afternoon
Roanne harbour and the Loire banksfree · about 1 hRoanne's old river port is the start of the 55.6 km canal to Digoin, with ten locks and a towpath to walk or cycle.
- Late afternoon
Lake Villerestfree · 2 to 3 hA 59-metre dam built from 1978 to 1984, despite strong opposition, to control Loire floods, drowning part of the gorges behind a 770-hectare reservoir.
Day 2
- Morning
Saint-Jean-Saint-Maurice-sur-Loirefree · about 1 hTwo villages merged in 1974 across the Loire; the old part, on a hill above Lake Villerest, has cobbled lanes and craft workshops.
- Afternoon
Château de la Rocheabout 1 h 30A castle on a rock in the Loire, emblem of the gorges, visited with actors playing the Roustans, its owners in the early 20th century.
Day 3
- Morning
The Côte Roannaise wine routefree · half a daySome 215 hectares of vines below the Monts de la Madeleine, an appellation since 1994, where gamay grown on granite gives fragrant, fresh reds.
- Late afternoon
Saint-Haon-le-Châtelfree · about 45 minThe smallest commune in the Loire department, almost entirely inside its medieval walls, with a Romanesque church and half-timbered houses under ivy and wisteria.
Day 4
- Morning
Ambierle Prioryfree · about 1 hA priory dependent on Cluny for over 850 years, rebuilt in the 15th century, its roof of glazed polychrome tiles in the Burgundian style.
Where to sleep in Roanne and the Roannais
- Le Grand Hôtel · €75 a night
- Ibis Styles Roanne Centre-Gare · €90 a night
- Relais de l'Abbaye · €115 a night
Plan this trip
Hotel prices per room per night, checked when written. Some links are affiliate links: we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you.