Randonnée sur les traces de l’Histoire du village de Saint-Marcel-Bel-Accueil

The Loras fortified house:
The Loras family was one of the oldest and most illustrious lineages of Dauphiné, present between the 12th and 19th centuries. Their fortified house, consisting of three rectangular main buildings, completed by a square tower and a circular tower, has retained its original structure. The circular tower has ornate loopholes, allowing it to be dated around the 15th or 16th century. Since most of this building was remodeled over the centuries, it is difficult today to give a precise date of construction.

The stained glass windows of the church:
The church of Saint-Marcel-Bel-Accueil houses stained-glass windows listed as Historic Monuments, due to the quality of their workmanship but also for their historical and religious interest. They depict scenes from the life of the parish's patron saint, Saint-Marcel.
These are the only ones in the Balcons du Dauphiné region to benefit from this type of protection. They are the work of the workshop of Grenoble-based master glassmaker Antoine Bernard, who worked extensively in Isère (notably in Grenoble and for the sanctuary of La Salette) and in other regions. He is also responsible for several stained-glass windows in neighboring churches, those of Vertrieu, Corbelin, Optevoz, and Saint-Romain-de-Jalionas.
A discovery trail enriched with QR codes will allow you to discover these works in more detail.

The tragic events of July 26, 1944:
On the stone wall opposite the church you will see a commemorative plaque in memory of the tragic events that took place on July 26, 1944.
Late in the morning, the Wehrmacht burst into Saint-Marcel-Bel-Accueil, informed by an informer of the presence of a resistance camp in the nearby woods. Around fifty
of inhabitants suspected of coming to their aid, were held hostage: men, women, children. Some were coldly shot or hanged.
Ten men among the hostages were lined up against the wall by the Gestapo while a detachment searched the woods and houses of the village. The search was in vain: the
The resistance fighters had already fled. The Nazis stopped their investigations, and it was only when they left, around 19 p.m., that the residents were finally able to breathe. The village escaped a much larger massacre that day.
A booklet detailing these events, written by René Marcaud, is available free of charge and upon request from the town hall secretariat.

1- From the “Saint-Marcel champ de foire” signpost, near the town hall car park, take the direction
Moréan along the cemetery. At the Calvary, turn left then right and follow the road which
climbs and soon becomes a wide track leading to the “Moréan” post.

2- First take the direction “Gorge” then follow Croix de Lavan. The path crosses a wood of
leafy trees before arriving at the hamlet of Loras.
Then turn right and arrive at the “Croix de Lavan” post.

3- Then turn left then right following the direction “Bois de Traversa” by a track
pleasant in the middle of fields.

4- At the “Bois de Traversa” crossroads, turn left towards “Sirens”. Continue on a good
track before reaching the first houses of a small hamlet. Turn right. At the crossroads,
go down to the left for about 100 m and don't miss the left fork which takes a
path making a wide loop. Arrive at the “Sirens” post.

5- From there, first by a dirt road, then by a tarmac road, go down towards
Saint-Marcel-Bel-Accueil via the plaster path, then the presbytery climb. Pass in front of the church and
return to the town hall parking lot.