Free walking tours in Bourg-en-Bresse and what to see

Must-sees

Bourg-en-Bresse is the capital of the Ain department, between Lyon and the Jura. Its great monument is the Royal Monastery of Brou, run by the Centre des monuments nationaux. It was commissioned in the early 16th century by Margaret of Austria in memory of her husband, Philibert the Handsome of Savoy. The Flamboyant Gothic church holds three richly carved marble princely tombs, carved choir stalls and a roof of coloured glazed tiles.

The monastery also keeps three cloisters, and its former outbuildings house the town’s Museum of Fine Arts. In the centre, the co-cathedral of Notre-Dame and the streets of the old town show half-timbered houses and 15th- and 16th-century façades. Bourg is also the capital of the Bresse, home of the Bresse chicken with its designation of origin, which you will see in markets and restaurants.

Free tours and guided visits

Bourg-en-Bresse has no regular free walking tours. What Civitatis offers is a ticket for the Royal Monastery of Brou, to explore the church, the cloisters and the museum at your own pace. The monastery itself runs guided and themed tours, and the tourist office can give you ideas for exploring the old town and the Bresse.

How long to spend

Allow two to three hours for the Monastery of Brou, especially if you want to take your time over the tombs and the museum. With a full day you can add the old town, the co-cathedral and a meal featuring Bresse chicken. If you stay two days, drive around the Bresse villages, with their traditional brick and timber farmhouses.

Where to stay

The most convenient place to stay is the centre, between the co-cathedral and the avenue leading to Brou, because everything is within walking distance. There are town hotels and the odd chambre d’hôtes. Near the station there are functional hotels, and in the Bresse countryside you will find country cottages in restored farmhouses.