Valence offers a specific starting point for a hike and several notable sites of architectural and commemorative heritage. The Sentier de Bourgon runs along the Son-Sonnette; in the town centre stands the Romanesque parish church of Saint-Pierre. When planning, you can therefore choose between a longer circuit and a stronger focus on cultural history.
Plan the Sentier de Bourgon
The Sentier de Bourgon is a 12.5-kilometre circular hiking trail that takes about three hours to walk. It starts at Place du Centre on the D739. Along the Chemin de l’Oumède, it follows the Son-Sonnette to the Fontaine du Maine on the municipal boundary with Ventouse. If you would prefer a shorter route, you can take the 7-kilometre variant along the way. This gives you a choice of different route lengths; the stated duration of about three hours applies to the 12.5-kilometre circuit.
Château de Bourgon is also part of the view along the route: hikers can see it, but the château is private. The trail connects this viewpoint with a landscape in which the Son-Sonnette and the Fontaine du Maine are important landmarks. For planning your day, the stated distance and approximate walking time are therefore the concrete points of reference; no separate duration is given for the shorter variant.
The church and tomb slab in the town centre
The parish church of Saint-Pierre stands in the centre of Valence and is Romanesque. Inside the church is a tomb slab dating from the 12th century. Its surface is decorated with arcades, and traces of capitals can be seen above the small columns. In addition to its Romanesque classification, these details give the building another clearly identifiable point of interest. The tomb slab has been protected as a historic monument since 17 June 1933.
The church and the tomb slab invite different perspectives: Saint-Pierre defines the town centre as a Romanesque building, while the slab brings individual decorative features and its long history into focus. If you are interested in architecture, Valence brings together a church building and a specifically described piece of its furnishings.
Château de Bourgon and the mill
Château de Bourgon overlooks the Son-Sonnette valley, the bridge at Valence and the Moulin de Bourgon. The surviving features of rural manor estates include a large communal courtyard, barns and a chapel. The relationship between the building and the landscape is therefore part of the local setting, as are the named components of the estate. Since the château is private, when hiking you should distinguish between the possibility of seeing it and visiting the grounds.
The Moulin de Bourgon adds a chapter of local craft history to this architectural setting: following restoration in 2011, traditional flour-making resumed there. This historic site can be distinguished from the château and its surviving buildings: the mill’s tradition is the focus here, while the château is associated with the rural manor estate and its architecture.
Cemetery heritage and local history
Valence cemetery has graves with broken columns, reserved for children and men who died very young. The columns are each engraved with flowers and hands. There are also numerous porcelain plaques bearing inscriptions, some with photographs as well. These two forms give the cemetery its own cultural and historical theme: decorative column graves and inscribed plaques, some with images.
Transport history is also part of Valence, though it belongs to the past: in the first half of the 20th century, the narrow-gauge local railway operated by the Chemins de fer économiques des Charentes served the area. It ran from Angoulême via Saint-Angeau to Confolens and was known as the Petit Mairat. This makes it easy to distinguish the former railway connection in time from today’s hiking route.
Considering Valence as a place to stay
When looking for a holiday apartment, you can first decide what you want to shape your stay: the 12.5-kilometre hike and its shorter route option, or the historical details of the church, château, mill and cemetery. The information about the Sentier provides a concrete framework for walking time and route choice; the architectural and commemorative heritage offers different points of focus. A stay in Valence does not have to follow a fixed daily itinerary.
Discover more destinations
Discover more destinations: Saint-Saturnin, Aubeterre-Sur-Dronne, Ranville-Breuillaud, Souffrignac, Ansac-Sur-Vienne, Montembœuf, Criteuil-la-Magdeleine, Chille.
For the broader travel guide: Charente.
