The best road cycling routes around Longèves

The Church of the Immaculate Conception was built at the end of the 19th century. In 1889, the village of Mazeau separated from the commune of St Sigismond. The construction of a church completed the emancipation of the community. Three difficult financing plans followed, in April 1890, June 1892 and February 1893. Restrictions on the initial project of the Fontenay architect Filuzeau were imposed. The plan no longer provided for a possible contribution from the state. The church was therefore financed solely by the Mazéens through a loan and the sale of wood. From 1890, the financing plan ruled out the project of building a presbytery. Work did not begin until the spring of 1897. On January 26, 1898, the archbishop signed the certificate of authenticity of the relic of the Cross kept in the church of Mazeau. On December 8, 1898, for the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, the parish church was blessed by Father Ménard, superior of Saint Joseph of Fontenay-le-Comte, assisted by five other priests.

Long before the discovery of electricity and the associated inventions, our ancestors discovered the possibility of harnessing the power of the elements—which, while useful on the one hand, could also be a threat as a force of nature—for various purposes. A fitting example of the human inventiveness of earlier generations is such a mill: The heavy millstones used to grind grain or press oil, for example, could be powered by water or—as in this case—the wind. Hardly any of them still fulfill their original functions today, but fortunately, some have at least survived as testimonies to ancient times.

Here, the remains of the ramparts of the Lusignan castle, a medieval fortress, built at the end of the 12th century and the beginning of the 13th century. All that remains is the ramparts on the hillsides which offer a magnificent panorama of the meanders of the Mother. To fully enjoy it you have to enter the park and go behind the town hall. A perfect place for a break, the park is generally quite quiet.

When the 1st Cavalry Dragon arrived in the town of Luçon ordered by Georges Clemenceau in 1910, the army required a supply of 70 liters of water per day, per man, and per horse, i.e. for 630 men and 750 horses a daily need of nearly 100 m3 of water. Thus, in 1912, at the height of the boom in reinforced concrete construction, a water tower was erected near the barracks. Originally composed of a parallelepiped tank of 110 m3, the work took on a monumental form when an agreement was made between the city and the war administration in order to allow the people of Luçon to also benefit from a distribution of potable water. The capacity of the tank then increases to 500 m3. The water tower measures 25 meters high on a base of 220 m² and even had official accommodation. The water tower with the adjoining electrical factory which made it possible to operate it (factory powered by coal from Faymoreau) made Luçon a city at the cutting edge of modernity with running water and electricity. . However, in 1961 the water tower was decommissioned, and it gradually deteriorated due to lack of maintenance. In 1991, the reinforced concrete monument was threatened with demolition, but by a decree of February 10, 1992 it was automatically classified as a historic monument, in order to allow its preservation. It now stands as a witness to early 20th century architecture consecrated by the appearance of reinforced concrete, and offers a light and astonishing silhouette for a water tower with its late art deco style and ceramic flourishes. . On the main facade, two cast iron lion faces had an orange lamp. This monument was to be supplemented by a lighthouse which was never completed.

The origins of the city of Luçon are linked to port activity dating back to the early Middle Ages, when the city was located on the edge of the Gulf of Pictons before the drying up of the Marais Poitevin. Luzon was then a fortified town, whose ramparts, protected by water moats, can be seen in the layout of the streets surrounding the town centre. Throughout the 19th century, the commercial activity of the port of Luçon with northern Europe in particular, which for a time even made it the third largest grain port in France, contributed to the enrichment of the city. This activity stopped in the 20th century with the silting of the canal which connected the city to the coast. But Luzon is best known for its religious status. From the 7th century, the foundation of a monastery which was destroyed by the Viking invasions made it the spiritual center of Bas-Poitou and the town became the seat of the bishopric in the 14th century. In 1608, a certain Armand Jean du Plessis was appointed Bishop of Luçon. Noting the sad state of the city ravaged during the Wars of Religion, he described the region as "the ugliest bishopric in France, the dirtiest and most disagreeable" (especially in order to justify his request for subsidies from the ecclesiastical authorities). endeavored from then on to reorganize the diocese which he left in 1623 to put himself at the service of the king, after a long ascent to the throne.This bishop of Luçon, with remarkable intellectual qualities, ended up becoming the principal Minister of Louis XIII, and remains known under the name of “Cardinal of Richelieu.” The history of the city remains intrinsically linked to the figure of Richelieu who officiated in this cathedral. Begun in 1091, the cathedral was initially in the Romanesque style. The portal of the north transept remains from this period. But for the most part, the building (the nave, the choir, the cloister) that we see now was rebuilt several times in the Gothic style. During the wars of religion, the church was repeatedly ransacked. The high openwork neo-Gothic spire is a splendid romantic fantasy according to 19th century taste. It peaks at 85 m and gives the cathedral the silhouette we know today. The city center of Luçon also offers other historical and religious monuments.

Among the trees and by the river you will find this magical bridge that makes you feel like you are in another world.

I don't know if we really have 21% but it's a good alternative to the classic climb of Mervent from the Mangoustan restaurant. An unmissable climb 👍

An emblematic bridge over the river "la Mère".