Porte des Pierres Dorées - Beaujolais - Jarnioux

You'll love:
• The unique architectural character of the villages.
• Gems of local heritage to be regularly admired along the roadsides or amidst the vineyards: low walls, cadoles*, staircases, etc.
• The passage over the Tacot viaduct overlooking the village and the Château de Jarnioux. In Theizé, climb up to the Château de Rochebonne.
• The harmonious aesthetic of the vineyard landscape blending with the ochre tones of the stones and earth.

You'll enjoy it better:
• Take the time to wander through the villages.
• Leaving the circuit to follow the trail
“Les cadoles de Collonges”**: at the intersection with “Collonges,” follow “La Pénière 1.4 km.” 300 m further on, descend to the right into the forest to discover a reconstruction of dry stone structures. At the end of the trail, go back up the road, turn left, and return to Collonges.
• In autumn, when mineral and plant life combine their shades of yellow.
• By organizing a cellar tour to taste the Beaujolais AOC or by enjoying the privileged setting of the villages for lunch.
* Vineyard huts dedicated to storing equipment and sometimes serving as temporary dwellings.
** Hiking shoes recommended, steep passages.

A little culture:
Underwater alchemy
The history of yellow stone dates back 175 million years, to a time when part of the Beaujolais region was covered by a sea into which iron deposits flowed. From these underwater depths, the fossilized remains of small animals remain, reduced to sand by erosion and then transformed into crystals over the millennia. The rusty color is due to the oxidation of the ferruginous materials.

Of ochre and light
Golden stone stands out as the emblematic mineral heritage of the southern Beaujolais landscapes. It enhances everything in an undulating countryside punctuated by wooded hills and vineyard slopes. The quarries from which it was extracted are visible at every bend in the road or path. The restored drystone walls and other buildings recall rural life in the early 19th century.