Montcenis brings together several distinct chapters of its local history: a red-stone church, the medieval Vieux Château fortress and evidence of its industrial past. Visitors looking for a cultural stay will find specific topics here, from church architecture to the coal supply for a Royal cannon foundry. The Village et Campagne walking route is another option, and an approximate duration is provided.

Church, fortress and former rule

The Église Notre-Dame-de-l’Assomption was rebuilt in 1679 on the site of an older church dating from the 14th and 15th centuries. After the bell tower collapsed in 1699, repairs were completed in 1703. The church is built from local red stone and is considered a notable example of classical architecture in the Saône-et-Loire département. The baptistery houses an exceptional collection of polychrome wooden statues.

The Vieux Château offers a different view of medieval history. The Dukes of Burgundy built the fortress in the 13th century to defend the bailliage. On the Village et Campagne walking route, you can see the ruins of the Vieux Château des Ducs de Bourgogne; the panoramic view is another feature of the route.

The present-day town hall is also linked to the bailliage: it is housed in the former ducal bailliage building, which is documented as far back as the 13th century. Its former layout included a prison on the ground floor and a courtroom upstairs. There were also other rooms, including an archive room. The fortress and the town hall thus point to different aspects of the area’s history of governance.

Liturgical heritage and industrial history

The Musée liturgique Saint-Joseph is housed in the chapel of a former hospital run by the Sisters of Saint Vincent de Paul. The museum showcases Montcenis’s liturgical heritage, complementing the architectural history of the Église Notre-Dame-de-l’Assomption with a distinct focus of its own.

Several details of the area’s industrial history date back to 1782. The idea for the Fonderie Royale originated in Montcenis that year; the Manufacture des Cristaux de la Reine was also established there in 1782. In the same year, Delachaize supplied the Royal cannon foundry with the coal needed to produce “fonte au coke”. Alongside the history of the church and fortress, these details offer another way to explore the town’s past: they concern a planned foundry, a crystal manufactory and the supply of coal.

Walking route and patron saint’s festival

The route guide published in 2022 lists the Village et Campagne walk as 7.4 kilometres, rates it as moderate and estimates a duration of about two hours. It gives the Salle des Ursulines as the starting point; the route is marked in yellow and has the code MON. The time given is a guide for planning your day. Before setting off, check access at the starting point and the trail conditions.

Another way to experience Montcenis is the annual Course à la bourrique, held as part of the patron saint’s festival over the Whitsun weekend. Decorated donkeys and young jockeys in costume take part. Dates and the programme vary; check the event dates before your trip. This lets you combine the town’s historical attractions with a walking route or, if the dates work out, a special festival.

Discover more destinations: Change, Le Creusot, Champlecy, Thil-Sur-Arroux, Vers, Montchanin, Lugny, Rully.

Back to the regional travel overview: Saône-Et-Loire.