The best gravel rides around Berrie

The Church of Saint-Généroux is a site well worth a visit during a hike. It dates back to the 10th century and is considered one of the oldest churches in France, as it features pre-Romanesque architecture found nowhere else. The church is located on the banks of the Thouet River. You can also admire the Romanesque bridge (13th century).

The contemporary art center of national interest, La Chapelle Jeanne d’Arc de Thouars, is today a leading venue for contemporary art in the western region. Along with the Château d’Oiron and the Syndicat Mixte de la Vallée du Thouet, which runs a program of public commissions for contemporary works, the art center's work is carried out in partnership across the entire territory of the Pays Thouarsais community of communes and, more broadly, in the northern part of the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region. Within the region, the art center is a recognized player in the Astre plastic and visual arts network. Developing an artistic project that takes into account its geographical location and its architectural envelope, a neo-Gothic chapel, the art center maintains a privileged relationship with the heritage of Thouars. Guest artists, hosted for residencies or exhibitions, appropriate the chapel space by creating an original work designed for the venue. They also bring their perspective to the city, urban planning, landscape, and rural areas of the Thouars region and the Thouet Valley. Since 1993, nearly a hundred artists have been invited for residencies or exhibition projects. In recent years, the art center has paid particular attention to emerging artists from art schools, particularly those from the regional Le Grand Huit network. In addition to its programming, the art center also engages in outreach activities in the form of off-site exhibitions, workshops, and events (meetings, lectures, and workshops). A mobile device, La Mar(g)elle, was created in 2015 by the artist Marie-Ange Guilleminot to offer interventions in partner locations, particularly within schools and structures in the social and medical sectors. For its educational action, the art center benefits from the action of the municipal art school of Thouars, to which it is connected within the visual arts department of the City of Thouars.

Beautiful view taken from the small bridge

The Royal Abbey of Fontevraud is one of the largest monastic communities in Europe dating back to the Middle Ages. It is a place with a rich history, located in the heart of the Loire Valley and listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The abbey is a unique cultural site! An abbey with a royal destination, a formidable prison is today a place of creation (museum of modern art).

Brief: The Notre-Dame-de-Pitié chapel, dating from 1579, is remarkable for both its late Renaissance architecture and its interior decoration, which was completely rebuilt in 1871-1872 around the sculpted group of the Virgin of Pitié that it houses (a work that was handed over after thefts in 2003). The foundations of this chapel are historically linked to the officers of the Abbey of Fontevraud and to Abbess Éléonore de Bourbon. It should be noted that the renovation of the chapel after the Franco-Prussian War took place in connection with the Central Prison of Fontevraud, since prisoners contributed to the painted decorations. The chapel is isolated and has not been maintained for decades. Today, it is in a worrying state: the striking elements of the sculpted furniture have disappeared or have been stored to prevent theft. The painted canvas has been altered and shows a general shabby-chic style. The murals are in some places very degraded (flaking, holes), as is the vault with false wainscoting on plaster laths. A restoration of this interior and fixing the furniture in place would be necessary. This would undoubtedly also help to clarify the question of the decor that already existed in the 1871-1872 program. Want to know more? Click on https://gertrude.paysdelaloire.fr/dossier/IA49010716

Fontevraud-l'Abbaye is located in the natural region of the Loire Valley, listed as a "living cultural landscape" by UNESCO. As its name suggests, the history and present of the municipality are closely linked to the Abbey of Notre-Dame, founded in 1099. The abbey presents the originality of being part of a mixed order, but led by abbesses until the Revolution. was the necropolis of the Plantagenet dynasty. The recumbent figures of Richard the Lionheart, Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine are still preserved there. The vast abbey complex was transformed by Napoleon I into a penal colony and then into a "central house". This extraordinary prison closed its doors in 1963. While the abbey church and the various monastic sites were rehabilitated, the entire old abbey has since housed a prestigious cultural centre with, among other things, a renowned art museum, welcoming meetings and artists in residence. Art, history and heritage are highlighted throughout the year.

Located at the crossroads of Anjou, Touraine and Poitou, welcome to the Fontevraud-l'Abbaye Tourist Office, our travel advisors will welcome you in front of the Saint-Michel church to help you discover the destination. Let us advise you and discover a village full of charm. Formed around the famous royal abbey, the Plantagenets necropolis, it is today a lively village, rich in numerous monuments, shops and craftsmen. The Tourist Office offers you: a privileged welcome - a free wifi hotspot - a shop with a wide choice of regional products, gifts, books and souvenirs - good tips to visit more and spend less when buying your entrance tickets - a complete tourist guide - a website - but also to travel light, by leaving your luggage with us. More information and opening hours at https://www.ot-saumur.fr/nl/sheets/vvv-kantoor-fontevraud-labbaye-5404626/

The Royal Abbey of Fontevraud is one of the largest monastic communities in Europe dating back to the Middle Ages. It is a place steeped in history, located in the heart of the Loire Valley and listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Let yourself be carried away by the magic of this ancient site and discover the Royal Abbey of Fontevraud, an architectural and historical jewel that will fascinate young and old alike. Thanks to captivating exhibitions, fascinating guided tours and a rich cultural programme, you will immerse yourself in the unique world of this abbey, founded in the 11th century and once a necropolis of the Plantagenets. Every stone, every vault, every corner tells a story... But Fontevraud is much more than a historical site... Broaden your discovery with a visit to the Fontevraud Museum of Modern Art, which houses more than 800 works donated by Martine and Léon Cligman. A prestigious collection that combines ancient and modern art, for an artistic immersion through the ages. Triggered? Find out more at https://www.ot-saumur.fr/en/abbeys-and-religious-heritage/royal-abbey-of-fontevraud-5344942/