Montbrison
Loire · France
Montbrison lends its name to Fourme de Montbrison, a blue cheese made in the Forez region of central France for centuries and granted appellation d'origine contrôlée status in 1972. The town was the historical capital of the counts of Forez, a role it held until 1531, and retains a heritage core anchored by the collegiate church of Notre-Dame-d'Espérance. A walkable centre with cafés and restaurants sits within reach of nearby vineyards and the mountains of the wider Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region.
- Population16,164
- Nearest water from center0.1 km
- Nearest mountain from center4.8 km
- UNESCO within 50 km2