Bourg-en-Bresse is the capital of the Ain, between the Jura foothills and the Saône plain. It is famous for the Royal Monastery of Brou, built from 1506 to 1532 by Margaret of Austria in memory of her husband Philibert the Handsome, and for the Bresse chicken, the only French poultry with its own appellation.
Why stay in Bourg-en-Bresse
It is a lively, easy-going base between Lyon, the Jura, the Dombes ponds and the Mâconnais vineyards, with good markets and restaurants.
Things to see in and around Bourg-en-Bresse
The Royal Monastery of Brou
The church is a masterpiece of Flamboyant Gothic, with a glazed-tile roof, a carved rood screen and the three princely tombs of Margaret, Philibert and his mother; the cloisters hold the town’s museum.
The old town
Timber-framed houses, the Notre-Dame co-cathedral and the shops and covered market of the centre make for a pleasant walk.
The Dombes and Pérouges
The Dombes, a land of a thousand ponds and birds, and the medieval hilltop village of Pérouges are within an hour.
Bresse farms
The bressane farms with their Saracen chimneys and the poultry of the area are part of the landscape; in December the Glorieuses de Bresse shows celebrate the best birds.
Best time to visit
April to October for the gardens of Brou, the ponds and the countryside; December for the Glorieuses de Bresse.
Getting there
Bourg-en-Bresse has TGV trains to Paris (about 2 hours) and regional trains to Lyon and Mâcon, and lies on the A40 and A39 motorways. The nearest airports are Lyon-Saint-Exupéry and Geneva.
What to eat
Bresse chicken with cream and morels, gâteaux de foies blonds (chicken-liver flans), galette bressane, Comté cheese from the Jura nearby and wines from the Bugey and the Mâconnais.
FAQ
Who built the monastery of Brou?
Margaret of Austria, regent of the Netherlands, between 1506 and 1532, as a mausoleum for her husband Philibert the Handsome, Duke of Savoy.
What is special about Bresse chicken?
It is raised in the open on Bresse farms under a protected appellation of origin since 1957 and recognised by its blue feet, white plumage and red comb.
