Villiers-En-Plaine can be understood through its historic buildings, connection to a pilgrimage route and themed walks. The Château-mairie retains features of its former layout; the Église Saint-Laurent links its architectural history to a pilgrimage route to Santiago de Compostela. Two named walks offer distinct search themes: one passes fountains and pumps, while the other uses animal, plant and tree names in streets and cul-de-sacs as clues. This offers a choice of themes for a stay, from cultural history to different ways of exploring along the way.

Château-mairie and Église Saint-Laurent

The present-day Château-mairie retains the south tower, dry moats and the site of the former drawbridge. The construction of the original castle is thought to have been carried out by Norman invaders in the mid-9th century; the Église Saint-Laurent, by contrast, was rebuilt in the 15th century. It is a stop on one of the pilgrimage routes to Santiago de Compostela through the Deux-Sèvres department. Several members of the Jourdain family were buried in the church; their stone epitaphs are adorned with the family coat of arms. At the Château-mairie, the focus is on its presumed early origins and surviving architectural features. The church adds a different perspective, with its rebuilding, connection to a pilgrimage route and family tombs. The two sites can therefore also be distinguished chronologically: the castle is attributed an early date of origin, while the church was rebuilt in the 15th century.

Two walks, two ways of exploring

The “Randonnée des puits et pompes” (Walk of Wells and Pumps) passes numerous wells and pumps in Villiers-En-Plaine, which can be discovered along the way. By contrast, the nature walk “Randonnée nature par les noms de nos rues” (Nature Walk Through the Names of Our Streets) uses streets and cul-de-sacs named after animals, plants and trees as clues along the route. The difference also lies in how you look for clues: on the first walk, the focus is on specific objects; on the second, names provide the clues. When choosing between them, you can ask yourself whether you would rather discover wells and pumps or follow animal, plant and tree names around the village.

Landscape and character of the village

The commune consists largely of farmland; no watercourse runs through it. The farmland shapes the overall scale of the village’s landscape, while the Château-mairie and church serve as specific historic landmarks. In planning a trip, this offers a broad overview of the landscape alongside individual cultural attractions.

Media library and accommodation search

Villiers-En-Plaine’s media library also adds to the cultural experience. Its collection includes books, large-print books, newspapers and magazines, audiobooks, audio CDs, CDs and DVDs. The selection therefore ranges from printed reading material and press to audio and video media. As the collection may change, it is worth checking what is currently available in advance if you are looking for a particular format. When searching for a hotel in Villiers-En-Plaine, your preferred focus can also be a helpful starting point: would you like to include cultural history, one of the themed walks, or both in your travel plans?

Discover more destinations: Pressigny, Saint-Maixent-Lʼécole, Scillé, Secondigny, Bouin, Les Alleuds, Saint-Hilaire-La-Palud, La Guérinière

For the broader travel overview: Deux-Sèvres.