The best traffic-free bike rides around Grézac

The Marquis de Sénectère at Semussac In the 18th century, the Didonne / La Touche estate in Semussac passed to Marie de Béchillon, then to her son, the Marquis de Sénectère. It was he who is said to have had the château rebuilt or largely transformed around 1730, giving rise to the residence we know today. He made Semussac an important country residence and developed his possessions in the Royan and Saintonge region. A prestigious family The Marquis de Sénectère, linked to the château of Semussac, belongs to an old French noble family: the house of Sénecterre (or Sénectère), originally from Forez and known since the Middle Ages. The Sénectère family included several renowned figures: - Henri de Senneterre (16th century), Marshal of France - François de Senneterre, a man of war under Louis XIII - Several marquises and dukes close to the royal court The name is sometimes written Senneterre, Sénectère, or Sénecterre depending on the era. End of family presence During the French Revolution, many noble properties were sold or seized, and the château of Semussac subsequently left this family. Legacy in Semussac The memory of the Marquis de Sénectère remains attached to: - the reconstruction of the château - the organization of the agricultural estate - local seigneurial prestige before 1789

Architectural features - Large residence in the classic Saintongeais style - Significant agricultural outbuildings - Preserved old cylindrical dovecote - 19th-century tree-lined park History of Semussac Castle (Château de Didonne) - Medieval origins The estate already existed in the 15th century under the name of La Touche, belonging to the lordship of Didonne. It then belonged to various local noble families before passing through alliances and sales into several hands. - Reconstruction in the 18th century The current castle was essentially built in the first half of the 18th century, around 1730, probably by Marie de Bechillon or her son, the Marquis de Sénectère. The latter made it his main country residence. He considerably enlarged his lands throughout the Royan and Saintonge region. - 19th century: transformation of the estate After the French Revolution, the property was sold as national property. It then passed to Count Alfred de La Grendière, mayor of Semussac and then mayor of Royan, who modified the castle and gave it its current appearance, with an English-style landscaped park. - 20th century: agricultural and tourist vocation In 1979, the estate was bought by the agricultural cooperative Cozes-Saujon to promote local productions, particularly wine. In 1981, a museum of agricultural equipment opened in the outbuildings and remained active until 2006. Subsequently, the site was converted into a charming hotel-restaurant. Completely renovated in 2019, the Château de Didonne opens its doors to welcome you between the charm of the old and the comfort of the modern. It has 10 air-conditioned rooms, 7 of which offer a breathtaking view of the park, allowing you to immerse yourself in a soothing natural setting from the moment you wake up. Local importance The castle bears witness to the agricultural and noble role of Semussac in old Saintonge, between Royan and the Gironde estuary.

Notre Dame de Nazareth Middle School is a private Catholic school under a state partnership agreement...and on a human scale, with 142 students and seven classes (two sixth-form, two fifth-form, one fourth-form, and two ninth-form), whose main focuses are student support and monitoring, valuing all achievements, and welcoming all. Depending on the families' schedules and needs, two statuses exist at Notre Dame de Nazareth Middle School: - Status 1: Children enter and exit NDN according to the school's hours: 8:55 a.m. - 5:10 p.m. They cannot enter later or leave earlier. - Status 2: Children can enter and leave the school at the first and last class times on their schedule. They have the option of entering later and leaving earlier than the school's hours, particularly in the event of a teacher's absence during the first and/or last class times of the day. 1865 The school was founded by three nuns from the Congregation of the Holy Family of Bordeaux at the "Château" in Sorlut. 1873 The sisters purchased land on the Route de Talmont in the hope of constructing a building there. 1875 The Château de Sorlut was put up for sale, and the school was relocated near the church on Rue Traversière. 1878 The building on the Route de Talmont was constructed, and the school was relocated there. 1902-1905 Despite the new secularization laws, the sisters continued their mission. 1914 The Red Cross flag flew over the school. 1923 The house was put up for sale by the estates. With some friends of the school, Father du Boulet placed a bid of 100 francs; no one else came forward, and the school was saved! 1940 The Red Cross flag flies over the house again, and the sisters carry out charitable works there. 1958 The school welcomes 70 children. 1959 The school is named "Our Lady of Nazareth." 1960 First expansion, installation of prefabricated classrooms, and opening of a complementary course. The school has 120 students. 1965 With 180 students, the school expands its enrollment to the surrounding towns: Cravans, Tesson, Montpellier, Corme Ecluse, Saint André de Lidon, etc. The classrooms and dormitories are modernized, and a refectory and a covered playground are built. 1983 The nuns hand over management to lay people while retaining supervision. 1987 A new building replacing the prefabricated buildings was constructed for the middle school students, with classrooms, a science laboratory, a technology room, and a computer room. The old building was completely renovated: the administrative area and a primary classroom were housed on the ground floor; the primary classrooms were housed on the first floor; and the library and chapel were located on the second floor. The entire school building, including the classrooms, courtyards, and grounds, underwent a complete renovation. 1989 Construction and development of the dining area: kitchen and refectories. 2008 Expansion of the middle school: new restrooms, 3 classrooms, and 1 study room. 2010 Creation of a nap and motor skills room for kindergarten students. 2012 Expansion of the refectory and construction of 3 additional classrooms at the middle school. 2015-2016 Nazareth celebrates its 150th anniversary! 2020 Opening of the flexible timetable (CHA) football classes, in partnership with the Cozes club. 2021 Interior renovation of the administrative building 2022 Opening of the CHA dance and table tennis classes Summer 2023 Renovation of the chapel and meeting room. Attic insulation. March 2025 Restoration underway

This vast building was originally owned by the Augustinian Abbey of Saint-Étienne de Mortagne (now defunct). Built beginning in the 13th century, the current church was supplemented with a flat chevet pierced by a triplet in the following century. The bell tower, set on a powerful square stump, extends into an octagonal floor, built in the 15th century. At that time, it housed seven bells. As in many parishes in the region, the bells of Cozes were taken down and taken to Royan Castle in 1548 as punishment for ringing the alarm bells of revolt during the Pitauds Jacquerie. The nave vaults collapsed in 1756 and were economically rebuilt in the 19th century. The five bays of the nave are covered with a very simple basket-handle ceiling, while the side chapels, on either side of the choir, are covered with groin vaults. The church has retained its 13th-century capitals with plant or historiated motifs, and part of its exterior ornamentation (cords, frieze, small columns, and an allusion to Aesop's fable, The Fox and the Stork). The façade contrasts sharply with the rest of the building. Neoclassical in inspiration, with its triangular pediment, it was redone in the 19th century. The furnishings include elements from all periods. The church nevertheless retains an 18th-century pulpit. Assembled by a cabinetmaker from Burie, it was intended for the Sainte-Colombe church in Saintes. It was later sold to the parish priest of Cozes. In 2000, the stained-glass windows were restored. An access ramp was installed for the disabled. Until the winter of 1862-1863, the church was surrounded by a cemetery. It was moved to La Grande Herbaude, and the square surrounding the church was then The area was leveled and planted with trees. In 1877, five bells were reinstalled. The bell tower houses a peal of five swinging bells, cast in 1877 by the Guillaume d'Angers foundry: Claire-Louise: F3 - approximately 950 kilos, Marie-Thérèse: A3 - approximately 450 kilos, Marie-Louise: C4 - approximately 250 kilos, Louise-Georgette: F4 - approximately 100 kilos, Marie-Madelaine: A4 - approximately 50 kilos. This peal is exceptional for several reasons. Peals composed of five bells are very rare in the Charente-Maritime department: there are fewer than five. It is rare for four or more bells to be cast simultaneously. Often, over time, one bell is recast, another is added, and often the different bells do not come from the same foundry. In Cozes, the five bells were cast together by a single founder. This is the only case in Charente-Maritime. Since these bells were cast at the same time, this guarantees the same homogeneity of the metal and therefore a much better sound when the five bells chime together. They form the perfect chord of F major.

The project: Save the medieval church of Cozes Support this restoration project for the Saint-Pierre church in Cozes, built from the 12th century onwards. Listed as a historic monument, this building is in a worrying state of preservation. In 2018, the building, which was suffering from a sagging roof and water infiltration, was closed; the rehabilitation work, estimated at €2.5 million, will have to be spread over several years. In 2020, the church was one of twelve sites in Nouvelle-Aquitaine selected to benefit from the Heritage Lottery and will receive €140,000 from Stéphane Bern's Heritage Mission. A first round of urgent work on the south aisle took place in 2020-2021. Thanks to donations, this initial preservation work has raised over €61,000. A second phase of work will begin in September 2024 for the restoration of the bell tower and staircase turret. "I am delighted to welcome you back for our sponsorship campaign for the restoration of the Saint-Pierre de Cozes church. Since 2020, your generosity has enabled significant progress in the preservation of this historic monument. Thanks to the support of over 200 donors (individuals, local and national businesses, foundations, etc.), we have achieved exceptional work together. After the first urgent phase of work carried out in 2020-2021 on the south aisle, we must now focus our efforts on the second and third phases of work relating to the exterior restoration of the bell tower and staircase turret." This work, estimated to last approximately 18 months, starting in September 2024, requires a total budget of €1,017,500. Our goal is to raise €100,000 in donations to supplement local government grants and ensure the completion of this crucial work. I would also like to acknowledge the ephemeral works of art that have marked our sponsorship campaign: beach art by Jben, the Elise Bachour concert, the ice sculpture by the Lopez confectionery, and many other initiatives have attracted an ever-growing audience. The 7th grade students from Les Vielles Vignes middle school in Cozes also joined our cause: each of them created a drawing inspired by the fable of the Fox and the Stork to illustrate our fundraising campaign, and they created a large collective mural on the wall of their middle school, thus demonstrating their commitment to our heritage. As a local business, your participation is of paramount importance. By supporting our project, you strengthen your corporate social responsibility (CSR) and your civic image while developing a meaningful partnership with the municipality of Cozes. Join us in this noble adventure that contributes to the preservation of our heritage, the local economy, and the attractiveness of our region! With my sincere thanks. Grazielle Bordage Mayor of Cozes

The church suffered little damage during the Hundred Years' War and the Wars of Religion. From the end of the 18th century, maintenance work was undertaken mainly inside the church. In 1822, the reconstruction of the bell tower framework began, followed in 1852 by the restoration of the west facade. A further restoration took place around 1860, and the sacristy was enlarged by the construction of a semicircular annex extending the Romanesque apse. Beginning in 1880, a roof repair campaign began, and a new belfry was installed in the bell tower. From 1890 to 1900, the cemetery surrounding the church was moved to the "Fief des Rentes," and the former burial site was transformed into a public square. Starting in 1926, the choir roof was replaced and the bell tower was made watertight. In 1971, the work program included the renovation of the exterior walls, the demolition of the false apse and the sacristy that concealed the apse of the south transept. In 1990, the main door was replaced with oak leaves, the stones were repointed, and the collapsed arch keystone was reinstalled. In the 2000s, the municipality repaired the mechanism of the two belfry bells, and the building was illuminated and maintenance work was carried out.

The Church of Our Lady of Corme-Écluse, the seat of a former Benedictine priory of the Abbey of the Ladies of Saintes, was donated around 1104 by Ramnulfus Focaudi (Bishop of Saintes between 1083 and 1106) to the Royal Abbey of Saint-Jean-d'Angély "so that he might always enjoy it and possess it in perpetuity." This abbey was thus responsible for the reconstruction of the sanctuary in the mid-12th century in the Romanesque style. A plaque affixed to the south wall of the nave contains a few historical snippets, still legible: 1200, the Benedictines completed the construction and adorned the church with an oak statue of the Blessed Virgin; 1327, the Abbot of Saint-Jean-d'Angely and an envoy of Pope John XXII prayed before the venerated image; In 1628, a pilgrimage was established to venerate the statue; In 1733, the statue was mutilated. The desecrator was punished. The church's plan is a slightly asymmetrical Latin cross (the north arm of the transept is longer than the south arm). The nave consists of two bays covered by pointed barrel vaults. It is lit by three symbolic windows rebuilt in the 13th century. A transverse arch separates the nave from the transept, whose crossing, under the bell tower, is covered by a cupola on squinches. The south arm of the transept opens onto an apse with a semi-dome vault. However, the north arm, rebuilt in the 17th century in the Romanesque style, is slightly longer than the south arm, and is designed on a rectangular plan without an apse. This arm has a portal with columns and toric rollers. After passing the triumphal arch, the choir begins with a straight bay covered with a semi-circular barrel vault and ends with a semi-circular vaulted arch.

Upon arriving in Corme-Écluse, it's only natural to stop at the church square, the heart of the Cormillon village. On this square, facing the town hall, stands the Church of Notre-Dame. Walk around it to admire the architectural details characteristic of the 12th-century Saintonge Romanesque style. The church was the seat of a former Benedictine priory of the Abbey of the Ladies of Saintes. The sculpted decoration of the Abbey of the Ladies certainly inspired that of the church of Corme-Écluse. This was often the case; mother abbeys were taken as examples by the priories that depended on them in terms of architecture and sculpture. In some cases, it is even assumed that the sponsors, artists, or craftsmen were the same people or at least from the same circle, sometimes descendants. Since the 13th century, the monument has been the destination of numerous pilgrimages that continue to this day. The pilgrimage takes place on the third Sunday of July in the convent gardens, followed by a procession to the Church of Our Lady.