The PR 16 – Bazauges circular route passes close to the Font au Rat spring and along the foot of Château d’Orfeuille. At Les Madeleines, it draws attention to distinctive architectural forms. In Bazauges, Saint-Martin Church stands out for its architectural history and the small crosses behind the building.

Hiking the PR 16

At 11.5 km long, the PR 16 is a clearly defined hiking route. When planning, you can include the route as a separate activity; how many stops you make depends on your interest in views, place names or architectural forms. The circular route is available year-round and free to access; animals are allowed. These details may change, so check access conditions before setting out.

Views and the Font au Rat spring

From the circular route, you can look southwest towards Font Brochère, La Trappe and Bazauges. The water tower marks Bazauges in this view. The Font au Rat spring is another stop where you can discover a linguistic clue: it was originally called “Font aurea”, and “aurea” means “golden” in Latin. At the spring, a specific place and the meaning of its former name come together.

Saint-Martin Church: Architectural History and Pilgrim Marks

Saint-Martin Church was originally a seigneurial chapel. Around 1685, Michel Frétard, a priest of the parish, converted it into a parish church. Notable features of the façade include a large oculus, a bell gable and the Marie-Madeleine bell. An oculus is a round opening in a façade, making it a different architectural element from a bell gable.

The inscription “On m’a rétablie tout à neuf en l’an 1789” is engraved in capital letters on the church door; it records a restoration in 1789. Along with the conversion around 1685, this gives two dated milestones in the church’s history. Small crosses engraved by pilgrims on the Way of St James can be seen behind the church. They add a link to pilgrimage to its architectural history.

Architecture at Les Madeleines

On Rue des Pruniers at Les Madeleines, the PR 16 points out a well-preserved 17th-century façade in the “cellules saintongeaise” style. This specific style name gives the architectural feature its own classification. The “cage à chanterelle” is also described as a stone cage-like structure with one or more slits or unusually shaped openings to the outside, and an inner door. The combination of exterior openings and an inner door makes the architectural form described easier to understand.

Bazauges in the Natura 2000 area

The landscape also has a designated status: the “Plaine de Néré à Bresdon” Natura 2000 area is designated as an SPA, or Special Protection Area for birds, and includes the commune of Bazauges. This adds another perspective on the area to the hike and its buildings.

Discover more destinations: Le Gua, Pont-L'abbé-D'arnoult, Meschers-Sur-Gironde, L'éguille, La Brée-Les-Bains, Mornac-Sur-Seudre, Avy, Charron

For the broader travel overview: Charente-Maritime.