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Hiers – Brouage Citadel loop from Saint-Just-Luzac

Hiers – Brouage Citadel loop from Saint-Just-Luzac

Easy

3.0

(1)

riders

Hiers – Brouage Citadel loop from Saint-Just-Luzac

01:04

25.1km

50m

Road cycling

Easy road ride. Great for any fitness level. Mostly well-paved surfaces and easy to ride. The starting point of the route is right next to a parking lot.

Last updated: May 11, 2026

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After 11.4 km for 150 m

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4.91 km

La Chasse

Highlight • Settlement

8.51 km

Saint-Hilaire Church of Hiers-Brouage

Highlight • Religious Site

The 1st church on the Island dates from 1025. It underwent multiple deconstructions and reconstructions, in particular with the wars of religion: the date of 1609 inscribed on the southern buttress of the bell tower, testifies to a reconstruction commissioned by Richelieu.
Between 1650 and 1676 the choir and the 2 side chapels received 3 Baroque altarpieces in the Laval style in polychrome stone.
During the Revolution, the building was occupied by Republican troops. The bells, broken, are carried away to ''melt down'' cannons. At the beginning of the 19th century, the church was declared in ruins.
From 1803 to 1830, the waterproofing of the building was undertaken. Then, the restoration of the bell tower lasted from 1836 to 1844. In 1845, a clock and a pulpit were installed. In 1875, an expansion campaign began, only the bell tower and the altarpieces will remain. The nave and the choir are widened with ribbed aisles and their gutter walls are pierced with arcades. The church is a fine example of neo-Gothic with its pointed arches and ribbed vaults.
The Law of 1905 on the separation of Church and State, transfers the building to the municipality. A period of breaking in the institutions followed. For 60 years, only maintenance is provided.
From 1970, the restorations follow one another: repair of the interior and exterior coatings, renovation of 2 side altarpieces, restoration and protection of the stained glass windows, the floor, the roof, the frames...
In 1980, the municipality decided to decorate the interior walls instead of a Stations of the Cross. An order for 6 canvases was placed with Henry Simon, a native painter of the city, for production in consultation with Father René Bégaudeau, parish priest of Saint-Hilaire, who were finally installed in 1982.
In 12/2010, the collapse of part of the vault of the choir, allowed the interior restoration of 2012-2013, The work consisted of the deconstruction/reconstruction of the vaults (including that of the choir), the repair of the nave and the frame. The interior walls have been taken up and colored. The church reopened its doors to worshipers and visitors in 07/2013.
The city is currently restoring the 2 side altarpieces. It should be noted that a campaign to restore the altarpiece of the choir had already been carried out in the years 1999/2000.

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8.53 km

Hiers

Highlight • Other

The village of Hiers built on an old island in the Santon archipelago. At that time, the village was an island in the middle of the Gulf of Saintonge, a gulf which will then fill in over the centuries to become nothing more than a marsh today. The island is part of an archipelago with other islets such as those of Guilletterie, Montboileau, Fremailloux and Érablais. Due to its relatively high altitude allowing to control navigation between the mainland and the island of Oléron, a castle and a priory were built from the eleventh century which depended on the seigneury of Broue. The monks of the Saint-Hilaire church were already exploiting the salt. Jacopolis (Brouage) was founded in 1555 on an old deposit of ballast forming bulges of pebbles and mud. Brouage was the outer port of the village of Hiers, it was first designed without military intentions but to be a trading center. Ten years after its foundation, the city receives a visit from Charles IX. fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hiers-Brouage#Les_origines

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10.9 km

Porte d'Hiers

Highlight • Historical Site

The walled city's busiest gate connects to the civilian city through which it was originally founded. The Hiers gate was almost completely demolished and was protected by advanced works.

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11.2 km

Saint-Pierre Church of Hiers-Brouage

Highlight • Religious Site

Historical memories attached to this church (baptism of Champlain); Pilgrimage for Canadians. Renaissance-style facade with three carved escutcheons. Inside, the nave and aisles are covered with paneling. Double row of columns with Tuscan capitals.

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11.4 km

Brouage Bicycle Museum

Highlight • Monument

For a bike hiker, this must-have is even more so!
Come and discover the history of the velocipede through the ages. From the Balance Bike to the bicycles of our times today, you will be able to observe the various developments brought to the bicycle.
Exhibiting many rare pieces put in situation by scenes and objects corresponding to their time, the Brouage bicycle museum can claim to be one of the most attractive in France.
To visit absolutely, because in addition the owner is a passionate more than sympathetic and available.
Admission is € 5 per adult and free for children under 12 accompanied by their parents.

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11.5 km

Brouage Citadel

Highlight • Castle

The stronghold of Brouage is a former salt trading port named Jacopolis-sur-Brouage, which became a Catholic war port wanted by Cardinal Richelieu who named it Brouage in 1627 to compete with the Huguenot stronghold of La Rochelle. Brouage is also considered to be perhaps the birthplace of the geographer Samuel de Champlain who participated in the founding and colonization of New France, and who is the founder of the city of Quebec in Canada.
A military port on the edge of the Atlantic Ocean until the beginning of the 18th century, the town is today inland and surrounded by marshes.
Attention: inside the citadel the streets are almost exclusively paved.

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