Croix du Guizay, Monumental cross in Le Guizay, France
Croix du Guizay is a large stone cross standing on a mountaintop near Planfoy at approximately 867 meters (2,845 feet) above sea level. From this location, you can see across to Saint-Etienne city and down into the Ondaine valley, with clear views of the surrounding mountains and their distant peaks.
The cross marks a site where people gathered for religious ceremonies over many centuries in the Massif Central region. This location established itself as an important point in local tradition and remains today as a symbol of that long history.
The cross serves as a gathering point where locals and visitors pause to take in the surrounding landscape and feel connected to this mountaintop location. The name reflects its long role as a place where people have come to stop, reflect, and experience the natural surroundings.
A free parking area sits about 200 meters (650 feet) from the cross, with a walking path providing direct access to the site. You can also reach the area from the Saint-Etienne Solaure tram station and walk up from there.
From this vantage point, visitors can observe Saint-Etienne's main avenue stretching in a straight line for approximately 6 kilometers (nearly 4 miles) from Terrasse to Bellevue. This unusual perspective reveals the city in a way that is rare to see from almost any other location.
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