While Lyon knows how to shine like no other in December, our region definitely has nothing to envy! In the Beaujolais of the Golden Stones, the village of Oingt, classified among The Most Beautiful Villages of France and élu plus beau village du Rhône a few years ago, is about to unveil its irresistible charm starting this weekend. With its medieval atmosphere, golden stones, and narrow alleys winding between the houses, it has everything needed to provide a delightful and refreshing alternative to the crowds of Presqu'île.
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An Advent calendar… XXL version
For the holidays, this charming medieval village hosts around 200 nativity scenes for a full-scale treasure hunt during the event Oingt in Nativity Scenes. Not 10, not 50, but 200 original creations to discover behind a window, tucked away in a display case, or sitting there like a well-kept secret at the end of a little alley. From December 6 to January 4, Oingt lights up its streets, brings out its garlands and Christmas trees to offer an enchanting trail where each step reveals a new surprise. And because a successful Christmas is all about indulgence, a refreshment stand open on weekends warms up visitors with mulled wine, waffles, and steaming hot chocolate.
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A chameleon village that delights in every season
Oingt has this rare magic: the ability to reinvent itself with each season. In the summer, light dances off its golden stones; autumn paints the vineyards in incredible shades; winter dresses its valleys in a delicate frost. And when December arrives, the village seems made for Christmas: every alley becomes a decoration, every facade tells a story. No wonder it’s the only one in the Rhône to have earned the label of The Most Beautiful Villages of France.
You stroll, you take photos, you let yourself be swept away by the atmosphere, then you can't resist a crepe or some mulled wine before heading back down to Lyon, your heart full and feeling like you've truly experienced a magical moment of Christmas — the kind that warms you up even when it’s cold.