Montbrison

Former capital of the Counts of Forez from the eleventh century, Montbrison possesses a remarkable architectural heritage, one of the most important of the department of Loire.

Monuments to visit:

• The Collegiate Church of Our Lady of Hope (13th-15th c.), Whose choir preserves the recumbent of Guy IV, one of the most important suzerains of the county genealogy;
• The heraldic room of the Diana (13th century), which has more than 1 7000 coats of arms. In this place is also the archaeological museum of Forez.
• The ensemble of buildings of the present town hall (13th-18th century), and former convent of the Cordeliers. The town hall, the library and the house of tourism Loire Forez occupy the place today.
• Tower of the Barriere (XIII^e).
• The College of Oratorians (XVIIIth) became Sous-Prefecture
• The convent of the Ursulines (XVIIIth) and the convent of the visitation (XVIIIth), become respectively college Victor de Laprade and musical center Pierre Boulez.
• The portal of the old barracks of Vaux, XVIII, (park of the counts of Forez).
• The chapel of the penitents (XVIIIth) became the theater of the Penitents. A regular season of some fifty shows animates the place, in registers as different as the French song, the circus, the jazz, the theater...
• The garden and hotel of Allard (19th century), which now houses the Allard Museum, which has rich collections related to the world of childhood and nature, and which hosts throughout the year Temporary exhibitions of high quality.

Called to the rich past, Montbrison also contains in its heart of town many facades of old mansions dating back to the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, such as hotels Henrys, Robertet or even the house of the parabola.

Montbrison is attached to an associated city since 1973. The municipality of Moingt has an equally remarkable heritage, in particular the Gallo-Roman vestiges (amphitheater, thermal baths), testifying to its past of city of water of I to the third century of Our era (Aquae Segetae).

In addition to a rich historical and cultural heritage, Montbrison has many shops, as well as all possible structures and activities: multisalles cinema, 18 hole golf course, bowling, Space Kid games room, tennis, equestrian center...

• Market every Saturday morning.
• Poly'sons Festival, at the Théâtre des Pénitents in January and February, festival dedicated to French song, with the presence of the most promising artists.
• Jazz at Montbrison, at the Théâtre des Pénitents, at the end of March, with artists of world renown.
• Economic Fair of Montbrison Loire Forez, in May-June, biennial event (even years).
• Go to the garden on the first weekend of June.
• Fête de la musique on June 21st.
• Summer Thursdays and summer markets, free shows and concerts, in the nocturnal, in the beautiful setting of the garden of Allard.
• Fourme days of Montbrison and wines of the Côtes du Forez the first weekend of October: product sales, gastronomic and cultural events, final corso on the urban boulevards.
• December 8, illuminations of Christmas and conflagration of the collegiate church.
• Christmas market, one Sunday at the beginning of December: sale of local produce and crafts around the town hall.