Villars can be explored from two perspectives: through the town’s medieval history and through the cultural and leisure attractions of the commune of Magnac-Lavalette-Villars. The Château de la Mercerie brings architecture and sightseeing into focus, while the Plaine de Loisirs complements them with mountain-biking loops and a nature trail. When planning your visit, it is worth deciding what you want to focus on: should your stay centre mainly on history and architecture, or would you like to include outdoor activities? This will help you tailor the different aspects of Villars to your interests. The Club d'Aéromodélisme d'Horte et Lavalette Angoulême operates year-round. With instructors and equipment, it introduces visitors to model aircraft flying; participation requirements may vary.

Château de la Mercerie: architecture and azulejos

The Château de la Mercerie stands on a hillside in the commune of Magnac-Lavalette-Villars. Its façade is 220 metres long, making it a striking architectural feature. Since 2012, the château has been listed as a French historic monument. You can visit independently or take a guided tour. One gallery houses Portuguese azulejos. This brings together different cultural points of interest in a single building: the long façade, its historic monument status and the gallery featuring Portuguese tile art. For visitors interested in architecture, the length of the façade is a tangible point of reference; the azulejos offer a second theme to explore during the visit.

Leisure at the Plaine de Loisirs

The Plaine de Loisirs offers a different focus. It has two mountain-biking loops open to everyone and a nature trail. Cycling enthusiasts can make the loops a focus of their visit, while the trail offers a different kind of nature experience. This means that, alongside sightseeing at the château, visitors can also choose outdoor activities in the commune. If you would rather focus on cycling than a cultural visit, the mountain-biking loops offer a concrete option. For a nature-focused visit, there is the nature trail. This lets you choose according to the activity you want, without treating cycling and nature experiences as the same thing.

Villars’ medieval history

Mainly during the 12th and 13th centuries, the town lay on the eastern branch of a north–south variant of the Via Turonensis. In the Middle Ages, Villars was also home to a priory under the authority of the Archpriesthood of Gurat. These two themes complement the château’s architecture with historical context extending beyond a single building.

Plan your stay around your interests

When looking for a hotel in Villars, these distinctions can help you make your first decision. Consider whether you would rather focus on culture and medieval history or on outdoor leisure.

Discover more destinations: Condac, Saint-Séverin, Beaulieu-Sur-Sonnette, Chabanais, Saint-Estèphe, Cellefrouin, Passirac, Luxé.

For the wider travel guide: Charente.