Le Bois-D'oingt combines a fortified historic centre with Renaissance architecture and illusionistic façade painting. The centre was a fortified town in 1226; houses with Renaissance windows, doors with ogee-shaped tops and spiral staircases have been preserved in the old quarter. Most houses in the centre are built of golden stone. For a culture-focused stay, this offers a clear itinerary: architecture, local history and painting take centre stage.
Stone Houses, Renaissance Features and Façade Painting
The houses’ golden stone, used as a material in many buildings, contrasts with the smaller details around windows and doors. An ogee-shaped top is the curved outline at the upper edge of a door; the Renaissance windows form a distinctive design feature in their own right. Spiral staircases are also part of the preserved heritage in the old quarter, adding a feature of building design to the picture of historic architecture. Those interested in architectural forms can distinguish between different scales: from the material of the houses to the shape of individual openings and staircases.
Two trompe-l'œil façades painted by the artist John Mc Grew in Le Bois-D'oingt in the 1980s provide another artistic highlight. Trompe-l'œil is an illusionistic painting technique that creates the impression of spatial depth. This sets the façade paintings apart from the preserved windows, door surrounds and staircases: here, a painted effect sits alongside surviving architectural features. The combination offers culture enthusiasts two distinct themes: the building history of the old centre and the artist’s façade paintings.
Museum, Former Church and Chapel
A planned museum visit requires different arrangements from viewing the façades: the John McGrew Museum is open by prior reservation. So book ahead if you want to include the museum in your plans. The former church is now used as an exhibition and event hall; check before travelling whether the hall will be open on the date of your visit. This allows you to plan the museum, which requires a reservation, and the hall, whose use may vary, as separate options.
The cemetery is also home to the 17th-century Chapelle Saint Roch. It marks a different historical period from the fortification of the centre in 1226. Those interested in local history can compare a 17th-century building with the medieval fortifications and keep the different periods represented in the townscape in view.
Market, Park and Walking Option
A market is held in Le Bois-D'oingt on Tuesday mornings, and an organic market takes place on Friday afternoons. The two markets are held on different days of the week and at different times of day. If one of these dates falls during your trip, check the market days locally, as recurring schedules can change. This will help you decide which market better suits your travel dates.
The public park at Maison Pichat is open to visitors and offers a different focus from the historic buildings in the centre. A picnic area (salle hors-sac) opened on Chemin de la voie du Tacot in 2018. Check ahead to see whether it will be open during your visit.
A walk may also factor into your choice of destination: Rando' Val d'Oingt can start in Le Bois-D'oingt. The car park at the salle hors sac is listed as the starting point; check parking rules before setting out. This lets you weigh up whether to visit the town mainly for its architecture and culture or include a possible walk in your plans.
Discover more destinations: Denicé, Saint-Germain-Nuelles, Chassagny, Vaux-En-Beaujolais, Saint-Jean-Dʼardières, Taluyers, Fleurie, Feyzin.
For the wider travel overview: Rhône.
