Route of the huts from the Saint-Germain-Laval Architects’ Festival

Park in the car park at Place Jules Ferry in Saint-Germain-Laval.

(S/E) Walk down Place San Germano, follow it along, then turn left onto Chemin des Côtes.

(1) After the^first bend on the right, turn left – near an old outbuilding – onto a path that leads down into the woods. Follow it as far as L’Aix to discover the^first architects’ cabin, ‘Face Cachée’.

(2) Return to the previous junction.

(1) Carry on to the left along the Chemin des Côtes until you reach the junction with Rue du Docteur Boel.

(3) Turn left onto Boulevard des Vingtains to find the^second hut, Fenêtre sur Cours. Take a moment to push open the chapel door and admire its architecture.
Continue up the path, passing the Roman Bridge on your left, and walk through the hamlet of Baffy until you reach the D38; follow this road until you come to a T-junction.

(4) Then take the dirt track on the right towards Les Millières. Follow it and continue uphill along the tarmac road.

(5) On the plateau, take the dirt track to the right to reach the^third hut, Première Demeure, which offers a panoramic view of the village and the surrounding hills.
Return to the Chemin des Millières, continue along it to the right and take the^first path on the right towards Les Chanées until you reach the D38. Cross the road and continue down towards the Chemin de Baffy; take this on your left to head back up to the village.

(6) Follow Boulevard des Vingtains to the right for a few metres before turning left into Rue Neuve, then right into Rue Vernin; then take a few steps to the left to reach the church of La Madeleine, which offers a beautiful view from its esplanade. Do not hesitate to explore the surrounding alleyways to discover the remains of the old fortified village.

(7) Head to the Place de l’Hôtel de Ville, surrounded by historic mansions, via Rue de la Madeleine, which runs alongside the castle, then turn right onto Rue Saint Pierre and left onto Rue du Marché.
To reach the car park (S/E), walk down Rue Boissieu, then take Rue de La Fabrique opposite until you reach Place Jules Ferry.

This walk was created as part of the Festival des Cabanes d’architectes to enable visitors to discover the three huts as well as the village and its surroundings: the banks of the Aix, the panoramic view of the village, the Forez plain and, from west to east, the Monts du Lyonnais, Pilat, Forez and Madeleine.

But don’t leave without visiting the village itself, with its beautiful 14th- and 16th-century houses, the Récollets convent, and 17th- and 18th-century mansions – including the Ramey de Sugny mansion, which now serves as the town hall.
Stroll through our picturesque narrow streets and you’ll discover the remains of the fortified village; look up and you’ll see the ‘génoises’ – those hollow-tile roofs emerging from the façades in double or triple rows – as well as the triangular pediments, some with a ‘eye’ opening and others without, characteristic of the southern influence.
For your visit, you can follow the signposted walking route, marked with information boards, starting at the junction of the D1 and D8, or the children’s and family route, starting from the town hall. Further information is available at the town hall or on the website
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