Heritage

An imposing and peaceful town, clustered at the tip of a deep lake and surrounded by limestone cliffs that make for spectacular walks on which you might see chamois, Nantua has in all eras displayed the assurance of a place that never disappoints visitors. History and gastronomy, nonchalance and adventure… Nantua leaves no-one...

Famous for its industrial know-how, Oyonnax enjoys a remarkable natural setting. In summer and winter alike, it offers many cultural discoveries along with a wide range of leisure activities and relaxation opportunities.

The ice factory developed on the banks of Lake Sylans, with its very pure water, in the late 19th century. Step back 140 years in time to one of the biggest natural ice harvesting sites, and listen to the story of an amazing industrial heritage! Relive a time when fridges and freezers didn’t exist…

“Haut-Bugey, land of resistance”

A mid-mountain area near Switzerland and a crossroads for routes to the East and Italy, Haut-Bugey occupies a strategic position. During the years of occupation (1940-1944), it became a centre of active resistance against the Vichy regime and the German occupier. Today, the Ain Museum of the Resistance and...

The capital of Plastics Vallée and second city in the department of Ain, Oyonnax lies in a thriving economic area, considered as a major centre of activity for the plastics industry in France and Europe.

After starting out as a small Gaulish town, Izernore became an important vicus in the Gallo-Roman era. The remains of a temple, unique in Ain and dedicated to a still mysterious divinity, provide the only reminders of this key period of our local history.

Montcornelles or the building adventure! See a real medieval town come to life in Aranc, at the heart of the Bugey mountains.

An abbey born of a legend (that of the Bishop St. Amandus being saved by a lightning bolt…). The Abbey Church of St. Michael still stands, a subtle blend of Romanesque and Clunisian styles that houses 2 treasures: a unique picture by the painter Eugène Delacroix and a listed organ of exceptional musicality.

Right at the heart of Valromey and the Retord plateau, the Lèbe observatory provides visitors with a unique experience, perfectly combining emotion, new discoveries and shared knowledge.

In a cave at the heart of nature, set off on a journey to a world from the depths of time! A little train takes you to the entrance of the underground world. Your visit runs through a strange setting, shaped by water for thousands of years. You begin where once a river went underground and follow to the old resurgence point, where...