Bazauges: PR 16 Circular Trail and Local History

The PR 16 – Bazauges circular trail is 11.5 km long. It passes close to the Font au Rat spring and at the foot of Château d’Orfeuille. From the route, there are views to the southwest of Font Brochère, La Trappe, and Bazauges, marked by its water tower. Alongside these landscape features, Saint-Martin Church offers insight into local history.

Hiking and orientation

The Font au Rat spring also offers a linguistic clue: it was originally called “Font aurea.” The Latin word “aurea” means “golden.” This connects a specific name along the route with its earlier form and meaning.

According to current tourism information, the circular trail is available year-round and free to access. Animals are also allowed. Access and animal policies may change; check them before setting out.

Saint-Martin Church and traces of pilgrims

Saint-Martin Church was originally a seigneurial chapel. Around 1685, Michel Frétard, a priest in the parish, converted it into a parish church. These details describe different stages in its history: its earlier function as a chapel and its later conversion.

Architectural details include a large oculus on the façade—a round window—and a bell gable. The church also has a bell named Marie-Madeleine. The inscription on the door records another date: in capital letters, it reads “On m’a rétablie tout à neuf en l’an 1789,” referring to a restoration in 1789. The conversion around 1685 and the restoration recorded in the inscription can thus be distinguished chronologically.

Behind the church are small crosses engraved by pilgrims on the Way of St. James. This connection with pilgrims adds another local trace to the church’s architectural and historical details.

Architectural details at Les Madeleines

At Les Madeleines, the circular trail along Rue des Pruniers passes a well-preserved 17th-century façade in the “cellules saintongeaise” style. The hamlet, street, date, and style give this building a clear connection to the area’s architectural history.

Another detail along the circular trail is the “cage à chanterelle.” It is described as a stone cage-like structure with one or more slits or unusually shaped openings to the outside and an inner door. At Les Madeleines, two distinct architectural forms stand side by side: a façade with a named style and an unusual stone structure.

The municipality’s connection with nature

The Natura 2000 site “Plaine de Néré à Bresdon” is designated as an SPA, or Special Protection Area for birds, and includes the municipality of Bazauges. For planning your trip, these are two distinct points of reference: the PR 16 has named points on and near the route, while the Natura 2000 designation places Bazauges within a protected area at the municipal level.

Discover more destinations: Berneuil, Ile-D'aix, Meursac, Chenac-Saint-Seurin-D'uzet, Les Mathes, Geay, Saint-Loup, Saint-Jean-De-Liversay.

For the main travel overview: Charente-Maritime.