Loyettes is defined by two distinct themes: the confluence of the Ain and Rhône and a religious heritage featuring Gothic architecture and sacred art. The protected landscape and trails for hikers and mountain bikers offer ways to focus on nature and outdoor activity. Those more interested in history will find striking details ranging from church architecture to gilded wooden statues. Specific highlights include a 7.0 km hiking and mountain biking route and a group of twenty statues.
Protected Landscape at the Confluence
The confluence of the Ain and Rhône near Loyettes is designated as a protected landscape area under Articles L341 et seq. of the French Environmental Code. The area covers 670 hectares and extends across Loyettes, Saint-Maurice-de-Gourdans, and Anthon. The three municipalities make clear that the protected area is not limited to Loyettes alone. At the same time, the confluence is one of Europe's last natural and active deltas. The area and the description as a delta refer to different aspects: the 670 hectares indicate the extent of the protected area, while “natural and active” describes the character of the delta. Those wishing to focus on nature and landscape thus have two specific points of reference—the area's legal protection status and the delta's classification in a European context.
Trails and a Dated Running Event
The “Le Confluent” hiking and mountain biking route is listed as 7.0 km in the 2020 municipal plan-guide. The “Les Sentiers piétonniers et VTT” trail network forms circular routes for hikers and mountain bikers, with access for boats. The 670 hectares of the protected area and the route's 7.0 km are not directly comparable: one figure refers to an area, the other to a distance. On July 13, 2026, “La Magie du Confluent” took place in Loyettes, an unofficial 10-kilometer nature run along the Rhône to its confluence with the Ain. The event's ten kilometers should be distinguished from the route's 7.0 kilometers: they refer to the event, not the hiking and mountain biking route. Check separately whether another edition will take place.
Gothic Architecture and Sacred Art
The Église Saint Jacques et Saint Christophe de Loyettes is a Gothic church dating from the 16th century. It has a remarkable collection of twenty gilded wooden statues, including 19th-century depictions of its patron saints, Jacques and Christophe. Eight of the twenty statues are classified by the French Ministry of Culture; this status therefore applies to part of the collection. The church and the figures mentioned belong to different periods: the Gothic designation refers to the church, while the depictions of its patron saints date from the 19th century. The architecture and furnishings thus offer different perspectives on Loyettes' religious heritage.
Two protected objects are associated with the Chapelle des Gaboureaux Saint-Jérôme in Loyettes: a statue of the “Vierge à l’Enfant” and a statue of Saint Pierre. Compared with the Église Saint Jacques et Saint Christophe, these are two individually named objects alongside a collection of twenty gilded wooden statues. For a cultural focus, this offers a clear distinction between a larger group of statues and two specific figures in a chapel.
Discover more destinations: Oncieu, Collonges, Champfromier, Segny, Champagne-En-Valromey, Attignat, Saint-Genis-Pouilly, Jayat
For the broader travel overview: Ain.
