Basilica & romanesque art

From Paray discover 3 tours of romanesque churches

You will discover a hundred churches and chapels- entirely or partially Romanesque- through three routes. Starting from Paray-le-Monial, it's up to you to adapt them at your leisure to your like.

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Artistic and Historical Towns and Regions

Charolais-Brionnais belongs to a national network of Artistic and Historical Towns and Regions. The French Ministry of Culture and Communication, Cultural Heritage Directorate, has awarded the label Towns and Regions of Artistic and Historical Interest to local authorities making special efforts to promote their heritage sites. This appellation guarantees the competence of guides-lecturers as well as coordinators responsible for presenting quality programmes. From antique vestiges to 20th-century buildings, the towns and regions so designated are recognised for staging sites to highlight their full diversity.


The Charolais-Brionnais possesses an exceptional number of Romanesque churches. This profusion of edifices built within a very short period can be explained by its local land wealth ant the expansion of religious power.

LE PAYSAGE CULTUREL DE L’ÉLEVAGE BOVIN, CANDIDAT AU PATRIMOINE MONDIAL DE L’UNESCO

La candidature porte sur le paysage bocager, et non la race charolaise, issu de l'élevage des bovins charolais à l'herbe qui s'est développé depuis le début du 18è siècle. Les prés, les haies, les arbres, les mares, les murets en pierres sèches, les bâtiments de fermes, etc. en sont les composantes.

Sa situation géographique s'étend sur la vallée de l'Arconce entre Charolles et Anzy-le-Duc et le plateau Brionnais. Ce sont premières communes où historiquement, s'est développée l'embouche (engraissement des bovins à l'herbe) et présente la plus forte densité de patrimoine lié au paysage de l'élevage bovin.