Visite libre et en famille de Courtivron

Discover the village of Courtivron, in the Ignon valley.
In the past, the river, which splits into several branches here, supported a number of industrial activities: an oil mill with its mill, a forge and its hammer, a blast furnace and a cotton spinning mill.
Today, you can admire the moving-floor washhouse, built in 1857. Its ingenious pulley winch system enabled the floor to be raised or lowered to adapt to variations in water level caused by the forge and then the spinning mill.
A little further on, between two branches of the Ignon, stands the 15th-century fortified castle. Its imposing square keep, adorned with machicolations, was rebuilt in the 17th and 18th centuries.
Don't miss the Church of the Nativity (1841), whose portal is supported by two solid stone columns. Inside, you'll find two Virgins with Child dating from the 15th and 16th centuries.
Finally, climb the Chemin de la Charme to its summit to admire the Black Madonna. Erected in 1873 in honour of the Virgin Mary, patron saint of the village, it was intended to protect the inhabitants from disease, infertile land and enemy invasions. Legend has it that she cured many of the sick and kept enemies at bay.