Chantecorps: Hiking and Heritage

Visitors to Chantecorps will encounter two distinct themes above all: the sunken lanes of the Gâtine and the historic buildings in the village. The Circuit des chemins creux makes hiking a particular focus; the Église Saint-Philibert and the Fontaine Saint-Giraud offer different highlights, with architecture, frescoes and local tradition.

Hiking through the sunken lanes of the Gâtine

The sunken lanes are considered part of the rural cultural, landscape and environmental heritage, and provide opportunities for leisure activities such as hiking. The Circuit des chemins creux passes through these sunken lanes of the Gâtine. The route is 7.9 kilometres long and starts at Place de l’Église in Chantecorps. This makes its length, starting point and landscape setting clear for planning: you can treat the hiking trail as a distinct part of your trip and factor its stated distance into your day’s plans.

Romanesque architecture and frescoes

The Église Saint-Philibert was built in the 12th century and has a Romanesque choir with a barrel vault. This type of vault runs lengthwise over the space, giving the church’s description a specific architectural feature. Later work is marked by two different dates: the church was restored in 1602, and its entrance porch, the porche-ballet, was rebuilt in 1624.

The choir contains frescoes created by Marie Baranger in 1941. They depict religious and local history scenes. Several aspects thus come together at the church, differing in both period and subject: the Romanesque design, the restoration and rebuilding of the entrance porch, and the 20th-century artwork. This change in perspective is what makes the building particularly interesting to travellers who want to appreciate the village’s history and design as well as go hiking.

Pond, leisure area and panoramic views

The Aire de loisirs et de pique-nique provides access to a pond. A football pitch, skatepark, boules court and children’s playground are nearby. The information clearly distinguishes between access to the pond at the Aire and the nearby facilities. If you would like to include leisure activities in your trip alongside hiking, you will find several options here: the pond, as well as sports and play areas in the vicinity of the leisure area.

The Site panoramique offers a different view of Chantecorps. The viewpoint is on the approach road between Chantecorps and Fomperron, just before the crossing of the D329. The panorama takes in the church and its bell tower in Chantecorps, as well as the buildings of an old forge. Two architectural features are presented side by side: the church as a landmark building in the village, and the former forge buildings as another part of the panorama.

Fontaine Saint-Giraud and Étang des Châteliers

The Fontaine Saint-Giraud is a Neo-Gothic monument built in 1892 in the hamlet of Saint-Giraud in Chantecorps. The monument protects a spring that, according to local tradition, miraculously appeared after the death of Giraud de Salles. The Fontaine thus brings together a precisely dated structure and a religious local legend. Its architecture and tradition give the site two distinct cultural points of interest.

The Étang des Châteliers is also part of Chantecorps’ landscape heritage and is a registered protected area. This protected status adds another distinct focus to the hiking trails and historic buildings. When looking for a hotel for a trip to Chantecorps, you can choose where to stay based on whether you want your visit to focus on the sunken lanes, the architecture, or a combination of landscape and cultural themes.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Massais, Sainte-Gemme, Saint-Loup-Lamairé, Saint-Martin-de-Saint-Maixent, L'absie, Vasles, Airvault, Vire.

For the broader travel overview: Deux-Sèvres.