The best traffic-free bike rides around Argentonnay

A beautifully landscaped oriental park. Very well served by cycle paths from Cholet or Bressuire/Mauléon. The largest Japanese garden in Europe.

Sturdy shoes and rain gear are recommended. Enjoy this walk.

It is from Place de la Solidarité, near the village hall, and in the light of a sunny afternoon, that visitors can best admire Courlay's church, firmly anchored on a hilltop, built in the middle of the village. It is squat and austere, like a fortress, a half-Gothic, half-Romanesque building whose square bell tower dominates the surrounding houses. Crossing the square, created on the site of the former cemetery relocated in 1900 and now adorned with a beautiful fountain where water cascades over granite chirons, note: the square bell tower with two small bays on each side (11th and 12th centuries); to the east, the large wall of the church's apse; on the north facade, a small rectangular tower resting on the bell tower and housing the stone staircase providing access to the bells; on the south facade, the turret topped with a slate pinnacle, the modillions of the cornice, a small door at the top of a few steps, and the Romanesque portal or main gate.

As you probably know, in the year 732, the armies of Charles Martel repelled the Arab advance around Poitiers. A troop of routed Saracens then barricaded themselves in the old parish church of St Sauveur and promised to surrender only in the event of divine intervention. However, in this month of May, after nights of prayers by the villagers, a cold snap hit the Poitiers countryside to the point of covering the grove with an astonishing layer of frost. The Saracens saw the sign of Allah in this unexpected event and decided to leave the village without giving battle. This legend gave its name to the village and the church of the Holy Trinity became a place consecrated by the religious authorities of the region. The oldest parts of the building that stands today on the small village square date back to the 11th century, but the church had to undergo several restoration campaigns during the 19th century. It now appears to us as a fine example of a Romanesque church, simple, rustic and austere. Note the modern stained glass windows made in the 1990s by Louis-René Petit, an artist who also worked in Sénanque and St Benoît sur Loire. His compositions inspired by frost give the church an atmosphere in harmony with its legend.

The Boismé water body is an easy-to-access and well-equipped body of water, offering an ideal site for fishing and family walks. You can enjoy the rich diversity of fish, such as carp, pike and zander, as well as the beautiful views of the water and the surrounding countryside. The hike around the lake is approximately 4 km and is suitable for all fitness levels. There is also a picnic area, playground and snack bar near the lake. The Boismé lake is an ideal place to enjoy nature and have fun.

Very nice oriental garden (larger in Europe)

Entrance to the park which is hardly visible from the road. With its 29ha, it is the largest Japanese-inspired park in Europe which can be visited through the ticket office. Originally, this garden was part of the outbuildings of the neighboring Château Colbert. The estate was bought by the Bergère family at the end of the 19th century. The son-in-law of the family, Alexandre MARCEL, a famous orientalist architect, converted the park into a Japanese landscape, notably using molds and pieces from the 1900 Universal Exhibition in which he participated.

17th century castle that belonged to the Colbert family (which a priori has nothing to do with Louis XIV's famous controller general of finance). Stofflet, one of the leaders of the Vendée insurgents, was the hunting ranger of the estate. The castle suffered the ravages of the Vendée wars and was rebuilt according to the original plans in the 19th century. It is currently a luxury hotel restaurant adjoining the famous oriental park. The castle's vegetable garden can also be visited.