Creys-Mépieu
Welcome to Creys-Mépieu, a town located to the east of the Balcons du Dauphiné in Nord-Isère. Discover its stone buildings in a natural setting including the Étangs de Mépieu regional nature reserve.
1. Creys-Mépieu and its heritage
– The church of Creys: built in the 19th century in a neo-Gothic style, this church dedicated to Saint-Maurice replaced the old Romanesque church present in the town since at least the 10th century. Inside we find the Sacré-Coeur chapel and its magnificent stained glass windows by Moullot, a glass painter from Grenoble, as well as remarkable woodwork made by the carpenter Cottaz de Dolomieu.
– The Mépieu church: its date of construction is unknown. However, we know that it already existed in the 1854th century. In XNUMX, a project to rebuild the church in a neo-Gothic style gave it the form we know today.
– The Château de Mérieu (private site): located at the entrance to the Malarage gorge, this building, whose origin dates back to the 12th century, is listed as a historic monument. Its position made it a strategic point for monitoring navigation on the Rhône.
– The Pusigneu castle: of this castle whose date of construction is not known, heavily damaged during the Revolution, today only the ruins of its dovecote remain.
– The Malville chapel (private site): built in the 15th century, it is dedicated to Saint Anne.
– Vernacular heritage: a covered wash house and an oven per hamlet, but also numerous fountains.
– Mantel roofs: they have a series of slabs arranged like stairs above the gable wall. These slabs, which protrude from the roof, are also called “mantles” or “covers”. They were used to protect the walls of the house against humidity and fire, an important precaution at the time when roofs were made of thatch. This is why they protrude on each side of the roof. At the top, we can observe a piece of flint in the shape of a sugar loaf, called “round charvet” or “chaveyron”, which adds an original final touch to these roofs. The roof of the old boys' school and the old sisters' house, place de l'église de Mépieu, are good examples.
– Industrial heritage: the Creys Malville power station. It was from 1975 that the controversial construction of the nuclear power plant began. In 1988 it was decided to abandon this project. In 1999, the dismantling of the power plant began, which should be completed by 2026. Workshops and thematic visits are regularly offered for children. It is possible to visit it by reservation with EDF Site Nucléaire Creys Malville.
– The legend of the White Lady of Piffon: it is said that “she haunted the Chemin de Piffons, between Faverges and Mépieu, as soon as night fell. If you met her, she would ask you to help her twist a sheet, which was impossible to do because she always turned in the same direction as you! For nothing in the world, the young girls would not have taken the path to Piffons at night!” *
2. Creys-Mépieu, nature side
– The Étangs de Mépieu Regional Nature Reserve**: the succession of wet and dry environments, typical of the territory, provides an impressive wealth of life (85 habitats, 650 species of plants, 185 species of birds) . There are notably rare species such as the pond turtle, the green tree frog and the red pine tree.
The site can be discovered thanks to a 2km educational trail. Don't forget to bring the educational booklet***!
The site has several panoramic points such as the Potet promontory also called “Roche de Cormier” which offers a bird's eye view of the Grand Étang and the Mépieu church (station 5 of the educational booklet).
The reserve is managed by the Lo Parvi Association which regularly offers on-site activities.
– The “Au fil du Rhône” road circuit (53km)**: will allow you to learn more about the Rhône and how residents live with it. Creys-Mépieu is located on stage 3.
3. Festivals not to be missed: the music festival every June 21 at the Bracon stadium and the medieval festival, every year in June. On the program: medieval market, medieval games, archery, camps, shows all day long and fire show!
* Archeology and history group of Morestel and its region, Creys-Mépieu – Its history, its heritage, p11
** Activities are regularly organized in the local ENSs. Information and registration at the Balcons du Dauphiné Tourist Office.
*** Information from the Balcons du Dauphiné Tourist Office.
– The church of Creys: built in the 19th century in a neo-Gothic style, this church dedicated to Saint-Maurice replaced the old Romanesque church present in the town since at least the 10th century. Inside we find the Sacré-Coeur chapel and its magnificent stained glass windows by Moullot, a glass painter from Grenoble, as well as remarkable woodwork made by the carpenter Cottaz de Dolomieu.
– The Mépieu church: its date of construction is unknown. However, we know that it already existed in the 1854th century. In XNUMX, a project to rebuild the church in a neo-Gothic style gave it the form we know today.
– The Château de Mérieu (private site): located at the entrance to the Malarage gorge, this building, whose origin dates back to the 12th century, is listed as a historic monument. Its position made it a strategic point for monitoring navigation on the Rhône.
– The Pusigneu castle: of this castle whose date of construction is not known, heavily damaged during the Revolution, today only the ruins of its dovecote remain.
– The Malville chapel (private site): built in the 15th century, it is dedicated to Saint Anne.
– Vernacular heritage: a covered wash house and an oven per hamlet, but also numerous fountains.
– Mantel roofs: they have a series of slabs arranged like stairs above the gable wall. These slabs, which protrude from the roof, are also called “mantles” or “covers”. They were used to protect the walls of the house against humidity and fire, an important precaution at the time when roofs were made of thatch. This is why they protrude on each side of the roof. At the top, we can observe a piece of flint in the shape of a sugar loaf, called “round charvet” or “chaveyron”, which adds an original final touch to these roofs. The roof of the old boys' school and the old sisters' house, place de l'église de Mépieu, are good examples.
– Industrial heritage: the Creys Malville power station. It was from 1975 that the controversial construction of the nuclear power plant began. In 1988 it was decided to abandon this project. In 1999, the dismantling of the power plant began, which should be completed by 2026. Workshops and thematic visits are regularly offered for children. It is possible to visit it by reservation with EDF Site Nucléaire Creys Malville.
– The legend of the White Lady of Piffon: it is said that “she haunted the Chemin de Piffons, between Faverges and Mépieu, as soon as night fell. If you met her, she would ask you to help her twist a sheet, which was impossible to do because she always turned in the same direction as you! For nothing in the world, the young girls would not have taken the path to Piffons at night!” *
2. Creys-Mépieu, nature side
– The Étangs de Mépieu Regional Nature Reserve**: the succession of wet and dry environments, typical of the territory, provides an impressive wealth of life (85 habitats, 650 species of plants, 185 species of birds) . There are notably rare species such as the pond turtle, the green tree frog and the red pine tree.
The site can be discovered thanks to a 2km educational trail. Don't forget to bring the educational booklet***!
The site has several panoramic points such as the Potet promontory also called “Roche de Cormier” which offers a bird's eye view of the Grand Étang and the Mépieu church (station 5 of the educational booklet).
The reserve is managed by the Lo Parvi Association which regularly offers on-site activities.
– The “Au fil du Rhône” road circuit (53km)**: will allow you to learn more about the Rhône and how residents live with it. Creys-Mépieu is located on stage 3.
3. Festivals not to be missed: the music festival every June 21 at the Bracon stadium and the medieval festival, every year in June. On the program: medieval market, medieval games, archery, camps, shows all day long and fire show!
* Archeology and history group of Morestel and its region, Creys-Mépieu – Its history, its heritage, p11
** Activities are regularly organized in the local ENSs. Information and registration at the Balcons du Dauphiné Tourist Office.
*** Information from the Balcons du Dauphiné Tourist Office.
Themes:
Visit
Individual visit services
- Unguided individual tours permanently
Opening
| Opening hours from January 01 to December 31, 2024 | |
|---|---|
| Monday | Open |
| Tuesday | Open |
| Wednesday | Open |
| Thursday | Open |
| Friday | Open |
| Saturday | Open |
| Sunday | Open |
Prices
Free access.
Services
Equipments
Linked offers
On the spot…
