Mont Saint-Rigaud, Summit in the Beaujolais mountains, Rhône department, France.
Mont Saint-Rigaud rises to 1,009 meters above sea level, making it the highest point in the Rhône department and offering panoramic views across multiple French regions including the Alps on clear days.
A chapel was built on this mountain around 600 AD, replacing an ancient Roman altar dedicated to Jupiter, and later became a Cluniac priory in 929 under the name of Saint-Victor d'Ajoux.
The summit features a sacred spring that local legend claims possesses healing properties for various ailments, and the site serves as a pilgrimage route connecting Cluny to Santiago de Compostela via Le Puy-en-Velay.
Access to the summit follows a steep paved road closed to motor vehicles, with hiking trails marked by red and white blazes featuring a stylized fir tree and the letters SR for navigation.
A wooden observation tower constructed from Douglas fir provides 360-degree views, while wooden crosses placed by visitors around the sacred spring create a distinctive spiritual atmosphere at the summit.
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