If you want to combine nature and local history when choosing a destination, Sainte-Néomaye offers some concrete points of interest: three walking trails, an interactive nature trail, and traces of the area’s history relating to water, the bridge and the church. The toll booths for the A10 and A83 motorways are five minutes away; journey times may vary depending on the route and traffic. This brings together practical guidance for getting there and a range of things to explore during your stay.
Landscape and location
West of Saint-Maixent-l’École, Sainte-Néomaye sits on a hillside above the valleys of the Sèvre Niortaise and the Hermitain. This setting gives the choice of destination a clear connection to the landscape: the village is shaped by a hillside and two valleys. If you value the landscape as much as culture when travelling, this offers a point of interest in its own right, alongside the buildings and their history.
The Fontaine de Madame adds a local water feature to this picture of the landscape. According to long-standing local observations, it is a plentiful spring that does not dry up even during severe droughts. Here, the focus is not on the hillside and valleys, but on the spring’s year-round reliability. Together, these details reveal two distinct aspects of Sainte-Néomaye’s landscape.
Walking and exploring nature
You can walk along three trails in Sainte-Néomaye. The “A pas de Loutre” interactive nature trail, created by the CPIE de Gâtine poitevine, offers another way to explore nature. It allows you to discover nature independently. For planning purposes, the main difference is the format: there are three walking trails on the one hand, and a trail that combines interactivity with independent exploration on the other.
You can then choose the type of nature experience that best suits your travel interests. Before setting out, it is advisable to check whether the walking trails are open, the route conditions and the nature trail’s digital content, as these may change.
Water and local tradition
The Lavoir de Fontcreuse is near the railway line. Its water supplied the moats of the former castle. The wash house is thus linked both to its location by the railway line and to the former castle’s water supply.
At the Fontaine de Fontcreuse, many pilgrims gathered at various times to pray and seek healing with the spring water and medicinal plants found nearby. Local tradition here links religious practice with water and plants. In contrast to the lavoir, whose water supplied the moats of the former castle, the fountain is primarily associated with the pilgrimage tradition.
Bridge, church and estate
The Pont Neuf dates from the 12th century and was used by merchants and pilgrims. Its six arches are each designed differently. The bridge thus brings together historical use and a distinctive architectural form: its date and use place it in its historical context, while its arches provide an architectural feature.
The church of Sainte-Néomaye was founded in the 12th century and rebuilt around the 17th century after four centuries of decline. Its history is therefore shaped by its founding, decline and rebuilding. The Pont Neuf, by contrast, is notable for its use by merchants and pilgrims and its differently designed arches. These two buildings thus offer distinct ways to explore the history and architecture of the village.
The Vieux Logis adds a different type of building to the mix: it is a bourgeois estate with a square dovecote. Together with the church and the Pont Neuf, it offers another perspective on the architectural forms found in Sainte-Néomaye, although the three do not share the same history.
Discover more destinations: Nueil-Les-Aubiers, Saint-Vincent-La-Châtre, Airvault, Saint-Aubin-Du-Plain, Pioussay, L'absie, Saint-Maixent-de-Beugné, Beaulieu-sous-Parthenay
For the wider travel guide: Deux-Sèvres.
