La Puye: Discover Ponds, Walking Trails and History

You can explore La Puye during your stay through a range of interests: ponds, paths and springs sit alongside a history shaped by the Acadian community and religious buildings. The area includes wet valleys and dry plateaus. This lets you give nature and history separate emphasis, rather than limiting your visit to just one focus.

Walking Trails, Ponds and Water Features

The Circuit des étangs loop is 6 km long, with a stated walking time of 2 hours. It follows the shores of two ponds: one is set up as a recreational area, while the other is a fishing area. Near the first pond, you can see a hydraulic ram invented by the Montgolfier brothers. A walking trail goes around the pond, through a wetland and past the surrounding springs.

The Base de plein-air de La Puye is located on the Petit Étang, near the Chapelle des Filles de la Croix. It is open year-round and offers large green spaces, children's play areas, a pétanque court and picnic tables. Swimming is possible there in summer during supervised hours; check the applicable conditions if this matters for your visit. This distinction is useful for planning: the Base is open year-round, but swimming is limited to supervised hours in summer.

Access to the Source de Saint Bonifet is also permitted, despite its location on private property. Respect the quiet of the place and observe the local conditions in effect when you visit.

Acadian History and Buildings

A walk along the Ligne Acadienne passes preserved buildings that recall La Puye's welcome to Acadian exiles in 1773. The Church of Saint-Hilaire de La Puye dates from the 11th century and was altered in the 16th and 18th centuries. It has been listed in the inventory of historic monuments since 2002. It is also connected to the history of the Acadian community in Poitou and the Ligne Acadienne between La Puye and Archigny. Here, you can encounter both the memory of a specific event and the church's architectural history, shaped by its different phases.

The protected building of the Fontaine aux Dames preserves Romanesque architectural elements from a former 12th-century priory church, including carved corbels known as modillons. The convent chapel of the Filles de la Croix stands on the site of a former Fontevrist priory. Its vaults and stained-glass windows are particularly noteworthy.

The Maison-Mère of the Filles de la Croix is a 12th-century Fontevrist monastery. It is open to anyone seeking quiet, beauty and reflection.

Accommodation at the Spiritual Centre

The La Puye Spiritual Centre welcomes sisters from around the world, as well as religious and non-religious people seeking peace and rest. Individuals or groups can stay there with or without spiritual guidance; arrangements may vary. If you are considering this accommodation, it is best to confirm the specific arrangements in advance.

Discover other destinations: Roiffé, Sossais, Saint-Pierre-De-Maillé, Tercé, Mouterre-Silly, Lencloître, Haims, Vellèches.

For the broader travel overview: Vienne.