Maillet: Château de Charon, churches and Circular Route No. 104

Get to know Maillet through its architectural history and a waymarked walking route. Cultural and historical highlights include the Château de Charon, the Église Saint-Martin and the Chapelle de Bezagette. These buildings represent different periods and stories; Circular Route No. 104 adds an independent hiking option. You can therefore choose whether to focus your stay on architectural history or a walk in the area.

Château de Charon: history and visitor restrictions

In the 15th century, the Château de Charon was a fiefdom under Cluis-Dessus, whose lord was Eudes de Magnac. An important restriction to bear in mind when planning your visit is that the château is on private property and can only be viewed from the road. Since 1 July 2025, the Château has been protected as a historic monument. This protection covers the entire château, including the moats, farm, concrete bridge and dovecote. In addition to the château itself, all four of these named features are explicitly included in the protection. The medieval feudal relationship and the monument protection answer different questions: the reference to Cluis-Dessus and Eudes de Magnac places the fiefdom in the 15th century, while the date 2025 marks the beginning of the protection status. This makes it possible to distinguish the Château’s former status from its protection as a historic monument.

Église Saint-Martin: building phases and furnishings

The Église Saint-Martin was built in 1875, replacing an older church whose origins are thought to date back to the late 11th century. This tentative dating refers to the earlier building, not the one built in 1875. The choir has a ribbed vault that opens to the north through a round arch into a side chapel, which also has a ribbed vault. The choir’s vault and the entrance to the side chapel are thus spatially connected. The chapel also contains a polychrome wooden depiction of the Virgin and Child. The material and colours are defining features of the artwork; its position in the side chapel connects it to the architecture. The building history and furnishings can be considered separately: the late 11th century is the presumed date of the earlier church, while 1875 refers to its replacement. The choir, round arch and side chapel identify specific elements of the spatial layout.

Chapelle de Bezagette and the former parish

The present-day Chapelle de Bezagette replaced the former church in 1871. It was built to plans by architect Alfred Dauvergne and is dedicated to Saint Germanus. The former parish of Bézagette is a separate matter: it comprised a dozen villages north of the present-day municipal areas of Maillet and Malicornay. The chapel refers to a single building, while the former parish refers to an area containing several villages. This distinction keeps two scales separate: the building history of the chapel, built in 1871, and the area’s former ecclesiastical structure. The details about the architect and dedication add two specific features of the religious building to its date.

Hiking Circular Route No. 104

Circular Route No. 104, “Au creux des chemins,” is a 10.9 km hike marked in yellow. It starts at Place de l’église in Maillet. The distance, marking colour and starting point provide practical details to help you include the route in your plans: you know which circular route it is, how long it is and where it begins. The hike thus complements the architectural and church history with an independent way to explore Maillet on foot.

Discover more destinations: Préaux, Bommiers, Le Magny, La Vernelle, Villedieu-sur-Indre, Ciron, Chabris, Reuilly

For the overview of the wider region: Indre.