Buellas is a small village in the Bresse, just west of Bourg-en-Bresse in the Ain department. The Bresse is a flat, fertile region of farms, hedgerows, ponds and woods, known above all for its chickens: the Bresse chicken, with its blue feet, white plumage and red comb, matching the colours of the French flag, is the only poultry in France with its own protected designation of origin. Farmers here raise them in open pastures, and they are prized by chefs across the country.
The region is also known for its traditional farmhouses, with timber frames, brick infill and distinctive Saracen chimneys, tall and ornate, some of which can still be seen in the countryside. The Domaine des Planons, an old farm turned museum near Saint-Cyr-sur-Menthon, is a good place to learn about rural life in the Bresse.
Bourg-en-Bresse, just to the east, is home to the Royal Monastery of Brou, a masterpiece of Flamboyant Gothic architecture built in the early sixteenth century by Margaret of Austria in memory of her husband, Philibert of Savoy. The tombs inside are some of the finest sculptures of the period.
The riding around Buellas is flat and relaxed, with roads running between fields, hedges and small woods, and through villages with brick churches. Surfaces are generally good, and traffic is light. It is not a place for dramatic corners, but it has a gentle charm. Fuel and food are available in Bourg-en-Bresse. As a start and finish, Buellas offers a calm, rural setting close to a city with plenty of services.