The best walks and hikes around Criteuil-La-Magdeleine

In the Middle Ages, Barbezieu served the surrounding villages and hamlets as a market, craft and court location. The area is still largely agricultural, with winegrowing playing a leading role: the small town lies in the south of the Cognac wine-growing region and is part of the Petite Champagne region; Pineau des Charentes, a type of liqueur wine, is also produced here. The Barbezieux breed of chicken (poule de Barbezieux) is known nationwide. Several small and medium-sized industrial companies (food packaging, furniture manufacturing, agricultural machinery) have settled in the industrial areas (zones industrielles) outside the town.

Barbezieux-Saint-Hilaire, located in the heart of the small Champagne, has several advantages for the development of a framework for a pleasant and attractive living. The town has managed to preserve its architectural heritage, the two most important buildings erected such as the castle, which dates from the fifteenth century, and St. Mathias Church built in the eleventh century. The old center of Barbezieux is remarkable for the homogeneity of its building fabric, dating largely from the eighteenth century.

The hunebed stands on a ledge halfway up the hill. The tumulus which covered it has disappeared. This dolmen is of an imposing and unusual height in the region. The deck table rests alone on three perfectly square pillars 2.20 m high. Several orthostats show traces of wear or write-off attempts by stonemasons [ 2 ] . All orthostats are of shell limestone [ 3 ] . The table, in sandstone , measures 5.40 meters long and 4.40 meters wide for a maximum thickness of 0.90  m, it weighs about 40 tons. The room opens to the southeast, the presumed entrance corridor that originally existed has completely disappeared [ 2 ] . The plan of the burial chamber seems to have been dictated by the shape of the deck table, making it a totally atypical dolmen [ 4 ] . The dolmen has been emptied a long time ago as it has been listed as such since 1826

This dolmen has an unusual and imposing height of more than 2m high. The crowning table at the top would weigh 40 tons.

An old windmill in the middle of the vineyards. Without her sails, it's a lovely place to stop and admire her.

The ruins of Bouteville Castle were built around the year 1000 on the site of a Roman villa.

a true wonder and at its feet, do not forget to visit a local artisan manufacturer of balsamic vinegars sold in the best restaurants!

The castle of Barbezieux, dominating the plain on the borders of Saintonge and Angoumois is, since the 10th century and throughout the Middle Ages, at the head of a powerful independent châtellenie at the heart of all the power struggles in the region. Between the 11th and 13th centuries, attracted by the protection offered by its influential lords, a large population came to nestle at the foot of the walls. Thus was born the town of Barbezieux, commercial and prosperous at the crossroads of several traffic axes. The end of the 15th century saw its revival thanks to the work of Marguerite de la Rochefoucauld, Lady of Barbezieux. It restores the stately home as well as various buildings in the farmyard. From this work campaign dates the current Archiac Gate and the theater.