Those wishing to discover history, landscapes and wine in Mareuil-Sur-Lay-Dissais will find a range of highlights. At the Coulée Verte, an arboretum and a picnic area overlooking the Lay go hand in hand; in the Bois des Tours, the focus is on woodland and walking trails. Churches, a memorial and seasonal wine experiences round out the picture. Which stops you choose depends on whether you are more interested in architectural history, outdoor trails or wine.
Churches and river history
The Église Saint-Sauveur brings together two clearly distinct historical periods. Its narthex, the entrance vestibule of the church, dates from the 11th century; the church has been protected as a historic monument since 14 July 1877. This places a medieval building element alongside a precisely dated protection status.
The Lay is also part of the town’s history: Mareuil-Sur-Lay-Dissais was once a port where boats carried salt upstream. The river is therefore not only part of the landscape, but was also once a route for transporting salt.
Since 1993, the Église de Dissais – Musée des 3 Batailles has housed a permanent memorial exhibition about three battles of the Vendée Wars. They took place on 28 June, 30 July and 14 August 1793. The exhibition offers a distinct historical focus alongside the older architectural history of the Église Saint-Sauveur.
Outdoors: green spaces, woodland and trails
The Coulée Verte has an arboretum and a picnic area with lovely views of the Lay. The arboretum and the view offer a different focus from the woodland walking trails: here, the trees and views of the river take centre stage.
The Bois des Tours is a 12-hectare woodland in a grassy valley that divides into two valleys bounded by rocky slopes. The area is well equipped for walkers and offers a wide choice of easy walking trails. Those who prefer to choose from several routes will find a different format here than on the Marche d’orientation, which has set route lengths.
The Marche d’orientation starts at the Salle Omnisports. Routes of 1.5, 2.5 or 3.5 kilometres follow a map and control markers; they are also accessible to pushchairs. You can choose according to the route length. The Calvaire offers another perspective: it dates from 1865 and affords panoramic views over Mareuil-Sur-Lay-Dissais.
Wine experiences in different formats
Vignobles Mourat operates three wine estates, two of them organically farmed, with a total of 125 hectares of vineyards on slopes in the Fiefs Vendéens Mareuil appellation. These details provide a specific context for the wine experiences.
From April to September, wine tours with tastings take place at 3 p.m.; contacting the organisers in advance is recommended. Also from April to September, self-guided trips through the vineyards are available by reservation, by bicycle or electric car. A picnic is delivered to you in the vineyards. The formats differ: the tour with tasting has a stated time, while the trip is self-guided and requires a reservation. For the tour, it is advisable to get in touch before your trip and arrange a time.
Discover more destinations: Chantonnay, Maché, Sainte-Gemme-La-Plaine, Saint-Germain-l'Aiguiller, Vouvant, Saint-André-Goule-d'Oie, Les Landes-Genusson, Le Champ-Saint-Père.
For the broader travel overview: Vendée.
