Landrais offers several concrete starting points for planning a trip: a church with a long history of construction, walking trails along the Canal de Charras and around the village, and a leisure area with a pond. You can focus on cultural attractions or plan a stay centred more on walking and local leisure activities.
The Church and the Sainte-BĂ©atrice Altarpiece
The church in Landrais is generally known as the Sainte-Béatrice Church, but is in fact dedicated to Saint Peter. It was built in the 13th century during the Hundred Years’ War. The original bell tower was rebuilt beside the nave in 1848. The building’s history thus brings together its medieval construction and the later rebuilding of the tower.
The Sainte-Béatrice altarpiece is made of brightly painted, carved stone. It is adorned with stone statues of Saint Paul and Saint Peter, as well as a more recent plaster statue of Sainte Béatrice. Both the church’s familiar name and its dedication are thus represented in the figures on the altarpiece. A depiction of grapevines recalls that winegrowing was the most important agricultural resource when the altarpiece was created. The altarpiece has been listed in France’s Monuments historiques inventory since 7 May 1971.
Walking Trails along the Canal de Charras and around the Village
The walking trail along the Canal de Charras starts at the car park by the church in Landrais. It passes through marshland along the canal, where storks nest, among other birds. A 12 km walking route along the Canal de Charras is also marked out in Landrais. This gives you a choice of routes with different stated lengths when planning your trip.
The Bois de Monlieu walking trail is a 10.5 km circular route around the village, with an estimated walking time of about three hours. This loop crosses the Canal de Charras walking trail at two points. By taking a connecting path onto that trail, you can extend it into a longer loop of about 18 km. The options range from the roughly three-hour Bois de Monlieu loop to a considerably longer route.
Leisure Area, Pond and Fishing
The Aire Naturelle de Loisirs includes a fenced, tree-filled meadow of more than two hectares, with a pond. Fishing is possible at the pond, which is regularly stocked with fish. The area also has a children’s play area and a fitness trail. So, in addition to fishing, there are other specific options for exercise and leisure.
This is separate from the fishing stretch along the Canal de Charras. It runs for 19,800 m from the Pont du Gué Charreau bridge on the D112 in the municipality of Landrais to the Charras railway line in the municipality of Saint Laurent de la Prée. Regulations and conditions for this stretch may change; if you plan to fish there, please check them in advance.
Discover more destinations: Mazeray, Néré, Loulay, Aytré, Sainte-Lheurine, Gémozac, Saint-Denis-Du-Pin, Saintes
For the broader travel overview: Charente-Maritime.
