Valence: Hiking and Local History

Valence combines a clearly defined hiking option with tangible evidence of local architectural and commemorative heritage. If you are looking for a hotel in Valence, you can plan your stay around whether the Sentier de Bourgon or local history is your main focus. These themes are reflected in different details: the trail’s length and route, Romanesque architecture at Saint-Pierre, the layout of the Château de Bourgon, and distinctive forms of grave design.

Hiking the Sentier de Bourgon

The Sentier de Bourgon offers a 12.5-kilometre circular hike, which is said to take about three hours, as well as a shorter 7 km route on which hikers can see the privately owned Château de Bourgon. The trail starts at Place du Centre on the D739 in Valence. From there, it follows the Chemin de l’Oumède alongside the Son-Sonnette to the Fontaine du Maine on the boundary with the commune of Ventouse. The two marked routes differ by 5.5 kilometres—a useful point of reference for planning your day.

Romanesque details at Saint-Pierre

The Romanesque parish church of Saint-Pierre stands in the town centre. It contains a 12th-century tombstone with an arcade design on its surface. Traces of capitals can be seen above the small columns. The repeating arches and columns give the tombstone a clearly structured design. It has been protected as a historic monument since 17 June 1933.

The Château de Bourgon

The Château de Bourgon overlooks the Son-Sonnette valley, the bridge at Valence, and the Moulin de Bourgon. It has preserved numerous features of a rural manor: a large shared courtyard, barns, and a chapel. Whereas the focus at Saint-Pierre can be on a single medieval object, the château brings together several architectural elements. The château is privately owned; the shorter route of the Sentier de Bourgon allows hikers to see it.

Cemetery, mill, and historic railway

Valence cemetery has graves with broken columns, reserved for children and men who died very young. Flowers and hands are engraved on each of the columns. There are also numerous porcelain plaques with inscriptions, some accompanied by photographs. Repeated motifs on the columns thus sit alongside inscribed and sometimes illustrated plaques—two different forms of grave design within the same cemetery.

Following restoration in 2011, artisanal flour production resumed at the Moulin de Bourgon. The former railway connection is also part of the town’s history: in the first half of the 20th century, Valence was served by the narrow-gauge local railway of the Chemins de fer économiques des Charentes. It ran from Angoulême via Saint-Angeau to Confolens and was known as the Petit Mairat. The mill and railway thus offer two different historical perspectives: on flour production and on a former connection between the places named.

Discover more destinations: Nanteuil-En-Vallée, Roussines, Mansle, Bréville, Bourg-Charente, Bassac, Guizengeard, Saint-Romain

For the broader travel overview: Charente.