Attractions and Places To See around Sainte-Gemme - Top 20

The port of Ribérou is a major heritage site in Saujon, bearing witness to a prosperous maritime past linked to the salt and wine trade. Transformed in the 19th century by ambitious works, it has now been reinvented as a place for living, relaxation, and preserving local history. 🛶 Origins and the Middle Ages The port of Ribérou takes its name from the Latin word ripa ("riverbank") or the Occitan word ribèira ("river"). It is located at the head of the Seudre estuary. It existed as early as the 11th century and became an important river and sea port thanks to its strategic position at the head of the estuary, used particularly for the salt trade—then called "white gold"—a highly sought-after product for preserving food. 🚢 Medieval Period and International Trade With the opening of British markets during the reigns of Eleanor of Aquitaine and Henry II Plantagenet, ships laden with wool, salt, wine, and other goods flocked to Ribérou. In the 16th century, the port exported local wines (such as cognac and pineau) throughout Europe. In 1577, during the Wars of Religion, the port was a strategic site: troops were stationed there, and battles took place. 🏗️ Decline, Reconstruction, and the 19th Century The estuary gradually silted up, making navigation difficult. By 1691, only smaller vessels could dock there. During the French Revolution, the sale of the tidal mill, which helped remove sediment, worsened the silting, leading to the port's decline. A modernization project began in 1822, but it wasn't until 1839 that an ambitious program was launched under the impetus of Jules Dufaure—a native of Saujon and Minister of Public Works—with the construction of sturdy quays, slipways, a lock bridge (marking the boundary between fresh and salt water), and reception facilities. In 1842, the work was completed, and the main quay was named Quai Dufaure in honor of this political support. 📉 Gradual Decline and Modernization The arrival of the railway in 1876 and the persistent problems of silting led to a decline in the port's traditional commercial activity, already facing competition from other transport networks. In the 20th century, the port gradually lost its economic importance but remained active for traditional fishing and became a place for pleasure boating, leisure, and local culture. Urban and tourism development projects (particularly in 2011–2012) modernized the port while preserving its historical charm. 🌊 Today The port of Ribérou is now a small fishing and pleasure port, much appreciated for its walks along the Seudre River, water sports (canoeing, kayaking, paddleboarding, etc.), and seasonal events.

very cute

The port of Ribérou is a fishing and pleasure port located at the end of the Seudre estuary, in Saujon. It is one of the two ports in the city, along with that of Breuil, a little downstream. Active since the 11th century, it took on its current appearance from 1842, under the impetus of the Minister of Public Works at the time, Jules Dufaure, a "local boy", who thus attempted to revive maritime trade and fishing activities, which were then in decline. Ideally located, on the edge of the city center, the La Lande leisure center and the preserved areas of the Seudre marshes (towpaths transformed into walking trails), it has become one of the major tourist attractions in Saujon, where theme evenings and the July 14 fireworks are organized. In 2011, the municipality began a renovation program for the port site, entrusted to the architect-urban planner Sophie Blanchet. It consists of transforming the old car parks into a pedestrian esplanade, a real meeting place with modern street furniture and, in the long term, green spaces. From the quays, lined with bourgeois buildings, small picturesque streets lined with hollyhocks allow you to crisscross the district and reach the city centre. The Ribérou lock bridge, known as the "bridge of opposing waters", was renovated in 2010. It marks the separation between the waters of the estuary (port side: brackish water) and the waters of the river (retention basin side: fresh water). Ribérou is a starting point for certain water sports (canoeing and kayaking). It is approximately 250 metres long and 40 metres wide. From Ribérou, it is possible to reach successively the ports of Breuil (Saujon), L'Éguille, Mornac, Chaillevette, Chatressac (Chaillevette), Grandes Roches and Orivol (Étaules), La Grève in Duret and Coux (Arvert), La Grève (La Tremblade) and La Cayenne (Marennes).

The SAINT-PIERRE church dominates the village from its fortified bell tower. Original in many ways, the Romanesque building houses a holy water font made of a real shell. From the side, you reach the small garden of the chevet, well hidden. Stone sarcophagi (Merovingian or Carolingian depending on the source) bear witness to the archaeological excavations that the church has undergone. There are many stories in Mornac but that of the fire of August 2, 1943 marked the identity of the village. Indeed, the bell tower has not always had this appearance. It had the more traditional shape of a spire until lightning struck it. Many young students come to Mornac-sur-Seudre to participate in the clearing and the excavations that follow. Seduced by the local atmosphere, many of them stayed and opened the first craft workshops in the village, some of which are still present, such as pottery and leather.

small round trip between the éguille and Ribérou

Succeeding a Merovingian church whose remains were discovered in 1951 (as well as a cemetery dating from the 6th century), the foundation of the current church could date back to the 10th or 11th century. with a modernization in the 12th century, where it takes more or less its current appearance. The bell tower was destroyed during the Hundred Years' War and then rebuilt with the facade in the 15th century. A fire due to a violent storm affected the bell tower in 1943. The upper part was reinterpreted by the addition of square bays giving it a defensive character. The slate spire has not gone up. The Saint-Pierre church is a Romanesque building with certain archaic features. The facade, of great severity, dates from the 15th century. Almost devoid of ornamentation, it consists of a broken arched portal with prismatic moldings, confined by a Gothic niche (on the right) and surmounted by a narrow bay. The nave, formerly divided into 5 bays, now has only 4, separated by columns backed by pilasters. The whole was originally covered with ribbed vaults, destroyed in 1837, replaced by an arched vault and subsequently dismantled in turn. The nave is covered with an exposed framework. Large transept arches delimit the square of the transept, covered with a barlong dome on squinches. The crosspieces are covered with a pointed barrel vault, and are extended by apsidioles. Semi-circular arcades, supported by fine columns with capitals decorated with plant or geometric motifs, punctuate the walls of the apse, covered with an oven bottom where traces of frescoes dating from the 12th century are visible, although degraded. century. The walls of the nave, the transept and part of the choir retain traces (from the 17th century) of the funeral liter of a lord of Mornac. The exterior offers, on the north wall, the remains of a Romanesque portal (11th century). The bedside, typical of the Saintongeais Romanesque, is made up of 3 horizontal registers, delimited by cords. The last level is made up of an arcade formed of arched arcades carried by columns with capitals decorated with plant, animal or geometric motifs. The whole is surmounted by a cornice with modillions where animals and human or demonic faces are represented. Buttress columns topped with capitals decorated with interlacing and stylized plants punctuate the walls

Nestled in the heart of the marshes of the Presqu’Île d’Arvert, Mornac-sur-Seudre is a small village with a dual face: oyster farming by tradition and artisanal by passion. It is a “Village of Stones & Water” (as the Charente-Maritime label promises) and is one of the “Most Beautiful Villages of France®”, and it also has the “Ville et Métiers d’” label. Art",. Mornac is a village where you have to take your time to soak up its atmosphere and charm. So you park your car in the large car park and visit it on foot to savor every detail and exchange with locals generous with anecdotes and craftsmen eager to share their know-how. Here, everything is on a human scale. We discover the village through the Place des Halles. The shelter, made of wood and supported by stone pillars, is ideal for meeting and resting. The terraced houses replace the old fortifications which protected the town in the Middle Ages. From Les Halles the main street takes you to the port. However, you should not hesitate to stroll through the small streets and alleys of the old town where you can literally get lost! This spiral part of Mornac is called the “Arab quarter”. The church dominates the village from its fortified bell tower. Original in many ways, the Romanesque building houses a font made of real shell. On August 2, 1943, lightning caused a fire which changed the appearance of the bell tower. The port is bordered by traditional and typical cabins. Each one has different colors. There is something for every taste. The small Seudre road allows you to follow them to the foot of the estuary. We arrive, at the very end, at the “goule de l’ach’neau”. We feel alone in the world. Everything is flat, horizontal. It’s time to tell you: the name Mornac means “calm waters”. From the port, possibility of a sea trip..... depending on the tide!!! For those on land, from Chemin de la Corderie, you can take the marked Détours® loops, between April and October, on the embankments of the pedestrian cutoffs. Possibility of taking advantage of guided tours of the village during the season. Mornac and its marshes can also be visited by bike using the shared Chemins de la Seudre routes. If the walk seems too long to you, you can combine the bike ride with the Train des Mouettes (Mornac-sur-Seudre is a stopover station for the tourist train)

There you can discover a unique blend of Romanesque architecture and medieval history. The church, which dates from the 11th or 12th century, has a characteristic tower and a severe 15th century facade. Don't miss the intriguing barlong dome of the transept and the remains of Merovingian sarcophagi near the choir.