Discover Villemorin

Villemorin lies in the northwest of the Vals de Saintonge and is considered one of the region’s oldest communes. You can explore the area through two specific themes when choosing your destination: the Saudrenne stream and the many traces of its local history. The landscape, church and archaeological finds each offer a different perspective. This can help you decide whether you are most interested in the waterway, architectural history or earlier evidence of human activity.

Landscape and hiking route

The Saudrenne flows through Villemorin from east to west and is a tributary of the Boutonne. This places the stream in context both within the commune and as part of the regional waterways. The stream is a specific point of reference in the local landscape.

The hike described on January 29, 2023, is 10 km long and leads from the village centre through the surrounding area and back to Villemorin. The route follows the Saudrenne, passes above La Garenne and reaches Chiron Hill. From there, you can enjoy a view towards the Signal de Chantemerlière. The route length gives you a specific point of reference when planning a hike during your stay; check current trail conditions locally before setting off.

Church and architectural features

The Église Notre-Dame de l’Assomption was built in 1880 and restored in 2007. Its architectural features include a rounded choir end and an apse with a half-dome. The choir end forms the end of the choir; the apse is topped by a half-dome. The church can therefore be described not only by its construction and restoration dates, but also by its form.

The bell’s origins are also part of the church’s history: it comes from the Couvent de l’Ouche des Carmes d’Aulnay. The architectural atlas of the Conseil d’Architecture d’Urbanisme et d’Environnement de Charente-Maritime (CAUE 17) offers another way to classify the area, describing Villemorin as a «village réticulaire». This means that information about the church is complemented by a description that considers the village as a whole.

Further traces of local history

The earliest traces of human activity in Villemorin may date back to the 8th century. Polished stone tools have also been found in Villemorin. These findings relate to different aspects of the area’s early history: a possible date for human activity and archaeological finds within the commune.

A temple, probably Protestant, later served as a church. The cautious description of it as probably Protestant remains part of this account. The historic game of Rampeau is also associated with a specific place: it was played on Rue du Rampeau, was a type of «jeu de palets» and continued until the beginning of the 20th century. Rampeau is therefore part of the area’s history and should not be planned as a present-day activity.

Discover more destinations: Thénac, La Barde, Saint-Seurin-de-Palenne, Croix-Chapeau, Grézac, Saint-Loup, Courçon, Saint-Ciers-du-Taillon

For the broader travel overview: Charente-Maritime.