An altar-tabernacle-retable made of gilded carved wood, a bridge over the Grêne and a museum of historic coaches showcase different sides of Chabanais. For a culture-focused stay, you can choose between sacred art, regional history and the history of vehicles. The Vienne is also part of the town’s tourist appeal.
Church Art and Historic Traces
The Church of Saint-Pierre houses an 18th-century altar-tabernacle-retable, made entirely of carved, gilded wood. The entrance portal is set into the bell tower wall, and the church is in the classicist style of the early 17th century. Saint-Pierre thus brings together different art-historical features: the design of the portal and an elaborately crafted furnishing. The altar-tabernacle-retable has been listed as a historic monument since 1980.
Notre-Dame de Grenord-l’eau is considered the oldest church in Chabanais. It houses the tombstone of Jourdain, a lord of Chabanais from the 13th century. The tombstone has been listed as a historic object since March 8, 1924. While Saint-Pierre is associated with architecture and its carved altarpiece, the tombstone connects the site to a named individual and the history of local lordship.
Another religious landmark is the spring of Grenord-l’eau. It is dedicated to the Nativity of Christ and the Virgin Mary; its feast is celebrated on September 8.
The Vienne, the Bridge and Regional History
The Vienne is described as Chabanais’s main tourist attraction. A common oak stands in the central park on the riverbank and is among the notable trees of the Charente. In 1999, its age was estimated at around 300 years and its height at more than 25 metres. The Vienne and the tree add a landscape highlight alongside the town’s religious and historical themes.
The Pont de la Grêne crosses the river of the same name and provides access to the village of Grenord, a few hundred metres away. The history of the Principality of Chabanais also broadens the perspective beyond individual buildings: it existed for almost seven centuries, until the middle of the 16th century. Chabanais, Confolens and Loubert were three of its four castellanies.
The Musée des autocars and Planning Your Visit
The Musée des autocars in Chabanais houses a collection of vehicles from before and after the Second World War. Some have been restored for festivals and events and returned to the road. The collection therefore connects the history of vehicles with the use of individual buses on special occasions.
The Musée des autocars is open to all visitor groups year-round by prior appointment. Be sure to arrange your preferred visit time in advance. The museum also offers excursions and trips in Citroën coaches dating from 1939 to 1957, departing from Chabanais and travelling throughout France. If you would like to include such a trip in your plans, enquire about specific options beforehand.
Discover more destinations: Montignac-Le-Coq, Saint-Saturnin, Saint-Maurice-des-Lions, Chillac, Champmillon, Salles-Lavalette, Massignac, Roullet-Saint-Estèphe.
For the main travel overview: Charente.
