Pas-de-Jeu: Saint-Hilaire Church, the Dive and the Barge

Pas-de-Jeu can be explored through two strands of history: the architectural history of Saint-Hilaire Church and the history of water management along the Dive. The former towpath and the barge on display at the port of Saint-Laon offer different perspectives on the river. On the donkey walk with Les Ânes de la Dive, the focus is on the animals, their diet and their way of life. You can plan your trip around your interest in church architecture, river scenery or learning about animals.

Saint-Hilaire Church: construction and history

Saint-Hilaire Church was built from 1874 opposite the former church. This positioning links the new building to the town’s history and gives it a concrete spatial context. On Sunday, 28 April 1878, Monseigneur Pie, Bishop of Poitiers, consecrated the church. Several years therefore passed between the start of construction and the consecration; the two dates place the new building in its historical timeline.

The ossuary of Saint-Hilaire Church was established in 1877 in the crossing of the transept. A transept is the part of a church that runs across the nave; this helps situate the ossuary within the church plan. The dates mark different events: the ossuary was established in 1877, and the church was consecrated in 1878. For those interested in sacred architecture, this site brings together a specific architectural arrangement and the history of the town.

The Dive: waterway and riverside walk

The Dive, a tributary of the Thouet, is canalised downstream from Pas-de-Jeu. The Dive du Nord was canalised over 28 km from Pas-de-Jeu to Saint-Just-sur-Dive. The former towpath follows the banks of the Dive and offers an easy riverside walk. This makes a practical difference when planning your visit: canalisation describes the waterway, while the towpath offers a way to walk along the riverbank.

A historic barge is on display at the port of Saint-Laon in Pas-de-Jeu. It was used to cut plants in the canal and along its banks. Its purpose illustrates a specific aspect of waterway maintenance: plants were also cut along the banks. The barge is considered the only known example in western France. Together with the former towpath, it offers two different perspectives: the work carried out on the canal and the path along the Dive.

Donkey walks and learning about animals

On the donkey walk with Les Ânes de la Dive, you can learn what donkeys are, what they eat and how they live. These three questions make the learning experience specific. At the end of your visit to Les Ânes de la Dive, you can discover soaps made by Gaëlle from donkey’s milk. The experience thus ranges from learning about the animals to a product made from donkey’s milk.

In 2025, Les Ânes de la Dive offered a 1.5-hour walk where you could discover the world of donkeys. If you would like to include this duration in your travel plans, check in advance whether the walk is offered on your travel dates.

Discover more destinations

Cersay, La Boissière-En-Gâtine, Étusson, Fressines, L'absie, Pouffonds, Ardilleux, Sainte-Soline

For the broader travel guide: Deux-Sèvres.