Grand Tour route makes heritage feel personal

A 3,000-kilometer road trip built from 28 stages invites travelers to move slowly through Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes—between Montbrison and Brioude, through Livradois-Forez, and to La Chaise-Dieu Abbey—where medieval architecture and live cultural programming meet,

The road starts gently, the way a good pilgrimage does. You pull out of Montbrison with narrow, historic streets still in your rear-view mirror, and you don’t just point the car toward an abbey—you follow a route designed to make you notice how landscapes and heritage share the same sentences.

That’s the promise behind the Grand Tour: a regional road trip spanning 28 stages and over 3. 000 kilometers. connecting the major natural and cultural sites of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes at a pace you choose. Each stage begins in a city, passes through several points of interest, and ends at a new destination. You can linger for lunch on a terrace. walk toward a lookout. visit a landmark. or spend the night where the day ends.

Between Montbrison and Brioude. the route crosses the Livradois-Forez region on its way to Abbaye de La Chaise-Dieu. set in the heart of the Haute-Loire countryside. The stretch through the Livradois-Forez Regional Nature Park runs for 113 kilometers. linking the Loire to the Haute-Loire via secondary roads that make room for detours—coniferous forests. basalt formations. rivers. and hilltop villages all pulling the route forward without hurrying you.

Montbrison is where the journey begins. Known for its narrow. historic streets. its riverbanks. and its market. the town is also associated with Fourme de Montbrison AOP cheese. From there. the plains gradually give way to the hills of Livradois-Forez and the low mountains—an unfolding scenery that matches a slower style of travel. one rooted in local craft and the small producers who keep the region’s character intact.

Then comes Marols, a village that has become a haven for artists. Behind its ramparts and stone houses, studios, murals, and cultural events line the narrow streets, set against a mid-mountain backdrop. A little further on, Saint-Bonnet-le-Château appears on its rocky promontory. Its cobblestone streets and historic houses sit beneath the Gothic collegiate church that overlooks the landscapes of the Forez region all the way to the Auvergne mountains.

As the road reaches the heart of the Livradois-Forez Regional Nature Park, the environment widens into heathlands, forests, and streams. Panoramic views sometimes open up to the Chaîne des Puys in the distance. and hiking and walking opportunities follow the route like an invitation held in plain sight. There’s also a detour to Lavaudieu—winegrowers’ houses. a Romanesque abbey. and peaceful banks of the Senouire—another way of seeing Haute-Loire before the main destination arrives.

The final leg ends in Brioude, on the banks of the Allier River between Clermont-Ferrand and Le Puy-en-Velay. The town is listed among the Most Beautiful Detours of France. and its setting. shaped by the river. blends history and nature. In the historic center. colorful facades surround the Basilica of Saint-Julien-de-Brioude—the largest Romanesque church in Auvergne—known for its polychrome stones and contemporary stained-glass windows. Nearby. the Maison de Mandrin. the Hôtel de la Dentelle. and the Center for Architecture and Heritage add more layers to the day.

Brioude sits at the gateway to two regional nature parks, and the outdoors don’t wait once you arrive: hiking, biking, canoeing, and walks along the Allier River are part of the local rhythm. But before you get there, the Grand Tour asks you to make time for one must-see stop: La Chaise-Dieu Abbey.

Perched at an altitude of over 1. 080 meters. La Chaise-Dieu Abbey looks out over the medieval village that grew around it after the 11th century began. Founded in 1043 by Robert de Turlande. a canon of Brioude. the abbey started from a monastic way of life based on poverty and simplicity. A Benedictine community formed around it. organized around prayer and work. giving rise to the Casa Dei—the “house of God”—which became La Chaise-Dieu.

The architecture carries nearly a thousand years of history, and the abbey church is where that time feels most concentrated. It houses the tomb of Pope Clement VI, represented by a white marble recumbent figure on his black marble tomb. The church also features 144 monks’ choir stalls. carved with decorations populated by fantastical figures and symbolic elements drawn from the medieval imagination. Even the mural of the Dance of Death—created around 1430—keeps moving through the building’s meaning. depicting the universality of death across different strata of society.

From the abbey church. the tour continues through the convent buildings: the cloister. built in several phases between the late 14th and 15th centuries; the Echo Room. built in 1682; and rooms dedicated to Flemish tapestries. The tapestry collection includes 14 pieces listed as Historic Monuments since 1840. The tapestry. depicting episodes from the lives of Christ and the Virgin Mary. is displayed in a former chapel that was restored to showcase it.

In the abbey district, the town preserves traces of its medieval development around the abbey, with historic houses still visible near the complex. The visit route itself is designed with modern pacing in mind, enhanced by audio guides, themed tours, and accessibility features.

And then there’s what comes next—because La Chaise-Dieu isn’t just preserved, it’s programmed. In 2026. the abbey will host the photography exhibition Where It All Begins. presented in collaboration with Magnum Photos from May 1 to September 20. The exhibition brings together more than 60 portraits of 20th-century artists in their studios. including Andy Warhol. Frida Kahlo. Francis Bacon. and Yayoi Kusama. Those portraits appear through the lenses of photographers such as Martin Parr, Inge Morath, and Abbas.

This program sits within a broader cultural season at the site, including the 60th La Chaise-Dieu Music Festival, the Organ Days, and other annual events.

What makes the Grand Tour feel different isn’t only the distance—though it’s there. spanning 28 stages and over 3. 000 kilometers. It’s the way the itinerary ties together what you see and what you do once you arrive: craft in the Livradois-Forez countryside. medieval forms in La Chaise-Dieu. and then the continued flow into Brioude’s Romanesque basilica and museums. Even the route’s design reflects that continuity. with each stage built to let you stop. walk. and spend time where the landscape changes.

A mobile app supports that approach as a modern travel journal. It helps travelers pinpoint must-see attractions, track progress, save favorites, and discover recommendations along the way. It’s also meant for flexibility—useful for making an impromptu stop or adjusting your itinerary based on the weather and how you feel at the moment.

The Grand Tour is best explored in small doses, depending on the season and your mood. Whether it’s a weekend getaway. a few days in the mountains. or a longer summer trip. the idea stays consistent: everyone can tailor their journey to their own pace. More than a trip. the Grand Tour asks you to treat the landscapes you pass through. the stops. and the detours as part of the experience—not scenery between destinations. but the story itself.

Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Grand Tour La Chaise-Dieu Abbey Montbrison Brioude Livradois-Forez heritage tourism Pope Clement VI monks’ choir stalls Dance of Death Magnum Photos Where It All Begins La Chaise-Dieu Music Festival Organ Days photography exhibition