For several years, the association «Imagine Quirieu» has been developing the Quirieu site. Almost all types of heritage actions are presented. Educational space, discovery of the themes that the site carries: geography, geology, flora, fauna, the Rhone, the history of the castle, life in the Middle Ages, wars of religion, agricultural territories, economy, industrial development.
On this isolated hill overlooking the Rhone, stood the delphinal castle, reinforced with a bastion and the walled village. Following the annexation of Bresse and Bugey to the Kingdom of France in 1601, the castle was dismantled by Richelieu. But the village, with its tight houses along the central street «la grande charrière», was maintained until the beginning of the 20th century around the chapel Sainte Catherine and the fortified house.
In this environment of greenery full of charm and mystery there are now only ruins, but they evoke forcefully the intense life of this once prosperous village. From the village you will discover an exceptional panorama of the Rhone, the countryside, the Bugey and the surrounding industries. Since 1993 works such as the stabilization of the ruins of the fortified house, the chapel and the ramparts have contributed to this development. A regular maintenance of the vegetation by the National Office of Forests, which has a rehabilitation association working, has been in place since 1995.
The association «Imagine Quirieu», with the support of the Communities and the owners of the site, accompanies the development of the site in a soft tourism project.
Around various events, «Imagine Quirieu» animates the site: guided tours, school trips, storytelling evenings and music among others.
The Medieval City of Quirieu has been listed on the Heritage label in Isère since 2016. Since 2017 the City of Quirieu is at the heart of a Sensitive Natural Space.