Church architecture, a pilgrimage route and wine give Pleine Selve three distinct reasons to visit. The Church of Sainte-Madeleine represents medieval architecture and later heritage conservation; the GR® 655 brings the pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela into the regional picture. There are also two wine estates, each with its own historical and culinary connections. The first stage of the hiking route passes through Pleine Selve and by the restored chapel of the former Premonstratensian abbey.

Church and Abbey History

The Church of Sainte-Madeleine in Pleine Selve was built in the 12th century with a single-nave layout, a transept and a flat-ended choir. The nave is the main longitudinal space, the transept extends across it, and the flat-ended choir describes the shape of the eastern end of the church. These features give the building a specific architectural focus: its form cannot be understood through its date alone.

By decree of December 1, 1908, the church was classified as a Monument historique (French historic monument). The church of the former Abbey of Sainte-Marie-Madeleine in Pleine Selve was consolidated and restored in three successive phases between 2009 and 2012. The construction date, protected status and later work each answer different questions about the building’s history.

Pilgrimage Route and Regional Orientation

The GR® 655 is a pilgrimage route to Santiago de Compostela, also known as the Via de Tours or voie de Tours. It enters the Gironde département in the northwest, near Pleine Selve. It then follows the right bank of the Gironde estuary to Bordeaux before heading south through the Landes de Gascogne Regional Natural Park. Pleine Selve is therefore part of a wider pilgrimage context: the route runs from its entry into Gironde, through Bordeaux and on to the south of the département. Anyone interested in the Via de Tours can thus place the town within a long-distance route.

Wine Estates and Visitor Experiences

After contacting the estate in advance, Château l'Abbaye offers a free visit and free wine tasting. Its vineyards cover 21.5 hectares. The estate also contains the remains of an abbey founded between 1145 and 1150. Here, winemaking and abbey history share the same grounds.

The EARL PASTUREAUD wine estate is located at a historic site in the commune and mainly produces red Blaye Côtes de Bordeaux. Visitors can taste and buy wine there. Check seasonal visiting arrangements before you arrive. The visitor arrangements differ: at Château l'Abbaye, advance contact and a free tasting are part of the offer; at EARL PASTUREAUD, visitors can taste and purchase wine.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Mourens, Carignan-De-Bordeaux, Tizac-De-Curton, Arbanats, Belin-Béliet, Soussac, Omet, Preignac

For the broader travel overview: Gironde.