The best traffic-free bike rides around Coulonges

The Château de la Garde was built around 1606-1610.

Certain foundations of small elongated freestones bear witness to a building from the end of the 11th century or the beginning of the 12th century. The nave was taken over in the second half of the 12th century and reinforced by arcades. If the base of the bell tower is characteristic of Romanesque architecture, its upper part bears the mark of the first Gothic age. The octagonal stone spire crowns a bell chamber based on a similar plan, the sides featuring alternating single bays and twin bays. Finally, the north wall and the facade were redone in the 19th century, the first bay of the nave having been shortened in order to widen the road passing in front of the church41. Like the majority of churches in the region, the Saint-Pierre de Gémozac church is based on a plan in the shape of a Latin cross. It consists of a single nave with four bays covered with a pointed barrel vault, which was completely redone in the 16th century. Inside, arcades respond to the buttresses and serve to reinforce the structure of the building. As in some Romanesque churches in the region, the transepts are covered with cupolas. However, if the north brace has a dome on squinches, the south brace has the particularity of having a dome on pendentives. The two arms of the transept are extended by apsidioles: the oldest (12th century), that of the south transept, forms a vaulted hemicycle; the most recent is a rectangular chapel covered with ribbed vaults. A narrow arcade opens onto the first bay of the choir. This forms a set of two spans. The first is covered with quadripartite warheads, while the second is completed by liernes. The flat apse (13th century), pierced with a triplet, testifies to the Cistercian influence on the architecture of the time. The church of Saint-Pierre de Gémozac is part of the tourist inventory of the most beautiful churches of Saintonge and is often cited among the religious buildings worthy of a visit. In certain aspects, this church is indeed one of the beautiful Romanesque churches of the Saintonge type, among which are still the remarkable churches of Rétaud, Rioux or even Thaims, all located in its canton.

The Château de La Salle certainly originated from the stronghold of Ozignac, which gave its name to the current hamlet of Louzignac, located near the castle. Located in the middle of a vast plain, the Château de La Salle is a classic building, sober, rigorous and of great coherence, which seems to have been erected in one go. Built on a north-east-south-west axis, it is accompanied, to the south-east, by a vast lateral courtyard lined with outbuildings, to which formerly corresponded, to the north-west, a tall forest which sheltered it from the winds. dominant. The set was preceded by a long straight avenue lined with trees whose layout is barely discernible today, but which is revealed by the first cadastral plan of Gémozac. It led to the forecourt which was further punctuated by two identical pavilions covered with tiles. Only the corner one remains. That of the north corner, although protected in 1990 as historical monuments, disappeared after being damaged by a fire. The castle itself is built in the axis of the forecourt, on a rectangular embankment surrounded on all sides by ditches cut in the rock, which allowed the extraction of part of the building materials. It is accessible by crossing an axial bridge with two arches. The ditches are protected by square section balusters, except in the northern part, where they have disappeared. Composed of a ground floor and a first floor, the residence of the lords of La Salle includes, on the arrival side, a main building at the back of the courtyard, framed by two symmetrical side wings. Of the same height, these three bodies of buildings are covered with a roof topped with Roman tiles, except on the two small sections placed on the side of the forecourt, where the flat tiles were used. To the south-west, on the side of the old parterres, the castle develops a more generously lit facade. Before certain openings were blocked, it had eleven bays, regularly organized from the axial bay which is marked by an elegant bridge-perron with three arches spanning the moat. Each of the two corners is marked by a fore body with three bays arranged in the extension of the side wings of the facade overlooking the forecourt (see the aerial view). The south-east side wing contains the old kitchen which is still covered with a semi-circular vault.

A small town in the Charente Maritime region. There are a number of historical monuments, such as the castle, the castle and several churches.

A washhouse that was once used to wash clothes. While it is no longer really used for its primary purpose, you can stop there for a cool break and refill your water bottles.

The port of Lys is a privileged place for walkers, hikers on foot or by bike, fishermen, boaters and water skiers. It is an ideal site for a shady stopover!

The Saint-Pierre church dating from the 13th & 15th centuries, was rebuilt with calcined stones from a 1st building which was destroyed by fire. It is a church of relatively simple design consisting of a nave flanked by two aisles pierced with large windows. A triplet illuminates the sanctuary with a flat apse. It is barrel vaulted and embellished with a 12th century chapel. The facade is sober and is pierced by an ogival door which is decorated with two tori. It ends in gable. The square bell tower, squat and massive, on two levels, gives a certain austerity to the building. Inside, on the north wall of the nave, hangs a painting by Bragny (oil on canvas from the 17th century).

The church of Saint-Pierre de Gémozac is a composite style religious building which incorporates both a Saintonge Romanesque structure and Gothic elements. It is one of the few churches in the region bearing witness to the transition between the two styles and has been listed as a Historic Monument since 1910.