Be transported to a fairy tale village set in one of Europe’s most beautiful beech forests. Located 40km east of Rouen, it comes as no surprise that Lyons-la-Forêt has been officially recognised as one of the ‘most beautiful villages in France’
Lyons-la-Fôret is a hidden gem situated in the heart of Normandy’s largest forest, the Forêt domaniale de Lyons-La-Forêt, which covers an enormous 11,000 acres. On arrival, visitors are met by an array of magnificent half-timbered, pink brick or tinted cob (clay and straw) houses. The village boasts tearooms, little restaurants, the odd hotel, antiques shops and the beautiful 18th-century timber-framed covered market. A long street leads you beside the Lieure river to the picturesque Church of Saint-Denis, which dates from the 12th to the 16th century
A source of inspiration for many artists
Lyons-la-Forêt was the setting for two adaptations of Madame Bovary, by Jean Renoir (1933) and Claude Chabrol (1991). And it’s easy to see why as you stroll through the village’s streets. With its half-timbered houses and pink bricks, its lively café terraces and antique shops, time seems to have stood still. A rich architectural heritage awaits you:
- Covered market (Halles) from the 17th and 18th centuries, listed as a historic monument.
- Saint-Jean-Baptiste de L’Essart-Mador Chapel
- Former Cordeliers convent, built in 1624 and inhabited by monks until the Revolution, then turned into a textile factory and then a glassworks.
- Former convent of the Benedictine nuns of Saint-Charles
- The house of Maurice Ravel
A Normandy secret: La Huchette chosen by Claude Chabrol
La Huchette is a pretty little house on the rue du Bout du bas in Lyons-la-Forêt. It once belonged to the aeronaut Charles Dollfus (1893 – 1981). He was the first Frenchman to cross the South Atlantic in a Zeppelin balloon. In 1991, Claude Chabrol took on the monumental work of Gustave Flaubert: Madame Bovary. He set up his film crew here in Lyons-la-Forêt and chose this house as the first home for Emma, played by the charismatic Isabelle Huppert. If you want to relive the filming, the Tourist Office offers a quality guided tour on the subject.
Our ideas for an enchanting weekend
- Spa Nuxe La Licorne Le Grand Cerf
- La Licorne Royale, a charming restaurant and hotel
Events in Lyons-la-Forêt
There’s no shortage of opportunities to enjoy the lush countryside:
- Jazz concerts on the terraces of Place Isaac Benserade (in the summer)
- Art exhibitions in the village galleries and workshops (all year round)
- Trail of Lyons-la-Forêt (July)
- Festival des A-côtés, dedicated to films which haven’t been shown in cinemas (October)