Discover Genouillé: Notre-Dame, Étang des Rosées and walking routes

Genouillé combines architectural history with different ways to enjoy the outdoors. Notre-Dame Church provides a cultural focus, while Étang des Rosées and two walking routes offer other ways to explore the area. When choosing a hotel, it may help to first decide whether you are most interested in historic architecture, a route on foot or by bicycle, or an outing by the pond. Local highlights range from a settlement history dating back to the Neolithic period to a municipal pond and a nature trail. This lets you plan your stay around the interests that bring you to Genouillé.

Notre-Dame Church and its architectural history

The “Vigne des Agers” site has been inhabited since the Neolithic period. Another trace of the past is Notre-Dame Church in Genouillé. It was built in the 12th century; its nave and façade date from that century, while the choir dates from the 14th century. The different dates make the building’s history a subject in its own right: the nave and façade belong to an earlier building phase than the choir.

The façade is topped by a large, unadorned gable and features two levels of Romanesque arcades with pointed arches. The portal has several sculpted archivolts. The simple gable and the elaborately finished portal arches create contrasting accents on the same façade. The church has been listed as a Historic Monument since 30 May 1913. Visitors interested in heritage will find in Genouillé both a settlement history stretching far back in time and a building with elements dating from the 12th and 14th centuries.

Walking routes through valleys and marshland

The Circuit Genouillé les Terres Hautes starts in Genouillé and is 15.5 kilometres long in total. The route is listed as taking 1 hour and 55 minutes, both on foot and by road bicycle. The same duration is given for both ways of travelling, offering a concrete comparison when planning; the stated route length remains the same. The circuit offers beautiful views of the Charrière and Devise valleys and lets visitors explore the green surroundings of Étang des Rosées.

Another highlight is the Circuit Genouillé les Marais. This nature trail offers the possibility of observing the wildlife and plant life of the marshland. The two circuits can be combined. They therefore offer different landscape highlights: views of two valleys on the Circuit les Terres Hautes, and the possibility of observing flora and fauna on the Circuit les Marais. When planning your time outdoors, you can use these described highlights and the stated duration for les Terres Hautes as a guide.

Étang des Rosées: pond and day-trip destination

Étang des Rosées is a municipal pond covering an area of 4 hectares. It is both a place for activities and a feature of the Circuit Genouillé les Terres Hautes, which takes visitors through its green surroundings. Options for a family outing include fishing, a playground, walks around the pond and on-site dining. Some facilities may change; check what is currently available before your visit.

Fishing is another specific attraction at the pond: trout, carp, bream and roach are caught in Étang des Rosées. Combined with walks around the water, this offers a different kind of outing from exploring the church’s architectural history or taking the longer walking routes. You can discover Genouillé through its architecture, landscape or pond activities, depending on your interests, without conflating these different destinations.

Discover more destinations: Loulay, Brie-Sous-Archiac, Chassiron, Saint-Coutant-le-Grand, Beurlay, Grand-Village-Plage, Fontaines-D'ozillac, Bazauges.

For the broader travel overview: Charente-Maritime.