Travel Guide Saint-Germain-Laval

Saint-Germain-Laval, a canton of 1 500 inhabitants, is located in south Roannais in the Vals country of Aix and Isable. The town broomstick to the rock is winding around the old chapel of a feudal castle. It is the church of Madeleine whose first foundations date back to the th century, which became the symbol of the city. It dominates the Aix, a river like they love, clear and shaded, with trout fishermen happy. Adventure discovery, but also commercial discovery. In the XIII, the Charters were the source of the city's development, as they sought to attract new residents through "substantial benefits". In addition to certain freedoms and rights, they offer land to build, tax exemptions. And this city's policy was very cheap because Saint-Germain became the th of the "voice cities" in Forez, that is, the city found rich enough to have representatives at the regional assembly of the time. Saint-Germain was a small residential town, pilgrims coming to pray for the black Virgin of Baffie, a delightful hamlet at the foot of the city, on the edge of Aix, the rich bourgeois and aristocrats of the th, everyone wanted to stop there. It is the country of the beautiful th century residences of the th, the XVIe Convent, the special hotels of the th and th century, including the Ramey de Sugny which now serves as a town hall. Raise your eyes in the picturesque streets and you will see the genoese, these hollow roof roofs emerging from the double or triple row facades and also the triangular pediments pierced or not with a eye, characteristic of southern influence.