Saint-Jeures At the gateway to the Meygal

At an altitude of 1,050 m, there’s no granite here, just lauze, phonolith and houses with a very special character. We’re getting closer to the Pays des Sucs and the Massif du Meygal.
Saint Jeures has 972 inhabitants. Discover the village, with its picturesque streets, watering hole, fountain, dovecote and washhouse.

A mountainous landscape emerges, with a beautiful summit: the Suc du Mounier. It’s the most discreet of the Sucs, never mentioned, yet it rises to 1,209 m.

Here, at an altitude of over 1,000 m, Fruits Rouges des Monts du Velay are grown, and the G.I.E. producers’ store is located in the hamlet of Pouzols.

To discover

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Panorama from the Croix de Couvet
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GR430© Lucas Paulin

The house of Beate de Pouzols

Built in 1845, this building is worthy of note and highly representative of the region’s small-scale heritage.
Granite walls, lauze roof,bell tower topped by a cross. Opposite, a well with a wrought-iron cross.

The association “La misou de la biata de Pouzèoue” was created in 1978 to preserve and restore this traditional Haute-Loire building, “la maison de la béate”, also known as the “maison d’assemblée”.
It offers free guided tours in summer, during the “Journées du Petit Patrimoine de Pays” and the European Heritage Days.

The Beate House in Pouzols

The Couvet cross

The Couvet cross marks the entrance to the village.
It is located on the GR 430 and the Saint Jaques de Compostelle, GR 65.

Roadside crosses, crossroads, church squares, mission crosses… dot the landscape, marking the entrances to villages.
Such is the case of the Couvet cross, carved in stone, replacing a modest iron cross where pallbearers might have stopped on their way to church.

Don’t miss the panoramic view of the Pic du Lizieux from this local cross .

Small heritage

A stopover for hikers

2 long-distance hiking trails pass through the village: the Saint Régis, GR de pays 430 and the Saint Jacques deCompostelle, GR 65.
After the town of Tence, Amis randonneurs, you arrive in Saint Jeures. The local people will welcome you at the “accueils Jacquaires” or in the stopover accommodation. Information at the tourist office.

The Lizieux faces the village from the south. Here, the name “la dentelière” is used to describe the Lizieux peak.
Look at the mountain and you’ll see it!

Pilgrim routes

Under the volcano, things are moving!

The village is very dynamic, as evidenced by the local associations and shops. You’ll find a bar-tobacco-press, grocery store, butcher’s shop, bakery and restaurant.
Craftsmen have also set up shop here: Clément Dupont, a leatherworker, and Nicolas Laurent, a jeweler who works with wood and stone.

A little history

The fortified houses of Saint-Jeures

Until the ^{15th century}, an aristocracy reigned, as evidenced by the fortified houses, ^{15th and}^16thcentury buildingsthat are still standing and survived the wars of religion, such as Les Changeas,La Borie, Salcrupt, châteaudu fraisse, château des Crozes (ruins). These buildings are listed as Monuments Historiques.

During the Second World War, like all the communes on the plateau, Saint-Jeures welcomed refugees, Jews and maquisards, with the cooperation of Catholic Noël Barrot and Protestant Victor Ruel.

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Les Changeas
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©Office de tourisme du Haut-Lignon

Hiking in Saint Jeures

The Auze Valley

Discover the valley of the Auze, this beautiful river full of fish, which flows into the Lignon after the Lavalette dam.

Between the villages ofAraules and Saint-Jeures, this mountainous, wooded landscape encourages the discovery of the sucs and their natural heritage.

From the hamlet of La Besseat, don’t miss the ascent to Suc de Mounier, a worthwhile off-route climb that offers panoramic views at an altitude of 1,209 m.

PR 132 Les ravins de l'Auze

All hikes

The event not to be missed in Saint Jeures

Saint-Jeures nights!

From June to the end of August, the village is truly in effervescence. That’s an understatement.
The Place du Fougal plays host to producers and craftsmen during these evening markets.

While the stallholders have only just set up their benches, people arrive from all over the Haut-Lignon, numbering over a thousand every Friday evening.
If you want to eat there (at the producers’ or food truck’s), don’t arrive after 9pm – it might be too late!

Saint-Jeures Nights

Heart of the village The Town Hall

Whether you’re a local or just passing through on holiday, and would like to find out more about the commune, the Town Hall is always ready to help!