Ambérieux-en-Dombes is a town in the department of Ain, in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, 15 km east of Villefranche-sur-Saône.
Its territory of nearly 16 km² is located on the "western" edge of the Dombes plateau, a natural and historical region renowned for its numerous ponds dug by man in a morainic-shaped soil (made up of rock debris brought by a glacier): this favored, on the one hand, fish farming but also agriculture on the land thus drained.
In the locality of Ambérieux-en-Dombes alone, there are about twenty ponds, or 11% of its surface area. The landscape is also green and rural (48% of cultivated areas, 18% of meadows and 3% of forests).
The village, seat of a powerful seigneury, developed in the Middle Ages around a castle whose remains remain the heritage attraction of the town. The preserved environment, the proximity of the Lyon metropolis and the Saône valley have also maintained its attractiveness, and there are still more than 1,700 inhabitants. A good base for exploring the Dombes!
The Ambérieux fortified castle was built in the 12th century and then rebuilt in the 1370s. Center of a seigneury and capital of a chatellenie (jurisdiction), it was marked by the personality of Humbert de Thoire-Villars, an ally of the Vienna Dolphins, and was the object of covetousness and siege. A jewel of the municipal heritage, three towers remain in the center of the village today, including the 19-meter-high keep, massive but fitted out internally to house a comfortable home (thin walls, windows, fireplaces). Restored at the turn of the 2000s, protected as a historical monument, this tower with a four-pitched roof covered with tiles is accessible to the public. From its summit, you can enjoy a superb panoramic view of the Dombes region and the village… You have had to climb no less than 108 steps before! Information on +33 4 74 00 36 32.
Nearby, within the old fortified enclosure, was erected in the last third of the 19th century the parish church in a neo-Roman style typical of Lyonnais. We thus notice its bell tower with four bell towers, its nave with four dome-shaped vaulted spans separated by pillars with sculpted capitals, and a floor made up of terracotta tiles.
Older, the medieval Gothic-style Calvary located in the cemetery appears very well crafted.
In terms of recreation, it is obviously the wonderful unique environment of the Dombes with its ponds, meadows and small woods that makes hikers and fishermen happy.
It should be noted that the municipal lake of Le Cerisier, vast 5 hectares, close to the campsite, is an excellent starting point. You can fish there (information on +33 4 74 00 84 15) and you can walk with your family on its banks. A reception dedicated to hikers is located there.
These have on the rest of the town a network of paths connected to the 250 km of routes reserved for pedestrians and cyclists in the community of Dombes as in the valley of the Saône to the east. No excuse not to take advantage of this green lung with its rich biodiversity! Maps and information from the tourist office on +33 4 74 08 10 76.
Several equestrian centers on Ambérieux-en-Dombes perpetuate a local tradition where the horse has always occupied a place of choice (breeding, training grounds). Now, they allow you to walk in peace to discover these unique landscapes. Contact the equestrian center of La Fleur aux Dents on +33 4 74 00 83 97 or the Société Hippique d'Ambérieux on +33 4 74 00 84 81.
