Nalliers: Leisure on the Gartempe and Local History

If you are considering Nalliers as a travel destination, specific leisure interests meet a rich local history. The Aire de loisirs des bords de Gartempe is located by the river and offers opportunities for fishing as well as access to walking trails. By contrast, the “Au fil du temps” trail focuses on the prominent historical families of Nalliers. The historic buildings, in turn, are notable for their dates, architectural styles, and former ownership. This lets you choose between leisure by the Gartempe, a historical trail, and stories of individual buildings and families.

Leisure by the Gartempe

The Aire de loisirs des bords de Gartempe combines its riverside location with two specifically identified activities: fishing and walking trails. These offer different ways to enjoy the same leisure area. If you are mainly interested in fishing during your stay, the Aire is the designated spot for it; if you would rather explore on foot, there are walking trails there as well. These two options give the leisure area a clearly defined character, without requiring you to choose a particular theme from the town’s history.

A trail through local history

The “Au fil du temps” trail introduces the prominent historical families of Nalliers. This gives it a different focus from the leisure area on the Gartempe: here, the families’ history takes center stage. The trail can be explored on foot, by VTC, by mountain bike, or on horseback, and is rated very easy. The different ways of getting around give you a choice, while the trail’s theme remains the same. If you enjoy walking, you can choose between the walking trails in the leisure area and a trail with a historical focus.

Architectural history and historical context

The Manoir de Lauzon, also known as “Le petit Nalliers,” was built at the beginning of the 16th century. It is a fortified house with a three-story main building, a side wing at the rear, and an attached wing. The description therefore covers both the height of the main building and its layout, formed by two wings. Alongside its name and date of construction, these architectural details are characteristic of the manor house.

The Église Saint-Hilaire and the presbytère share the same historical designation: both were listed as historic monuments in 1993. The dates associated with the church itself go further back. It was first mentioned in 1093 and remained under the authority of the Abbaye de Saint-Savin until the French Revolution. The Église Saint-Hilaire was largely rebuilt in the 15th century. Its early mention, later building history, and long-standing association with the abbey can therefore be distinguished as separate historical milestones. The details about the rebuilding and former affiliation refer to the church, not the presbytère.

The Château offers another perspective on the town’s history. It belonged to the D’Allemaigne, also known as d’Allemagne, family from around 900 to 1670. It was built according to a military defense plan. Of its four towers, the northeastern and southwestern ones remain. Two aspects thus stand out: the family’s long-standing ownership and the fortified layout with its towers. Together with the manor house’s architecture and the church’s history, these details offer different ways of exploring Nalliers’ past—through families, architectural styles, and changes over time.

Discover more destinations: Bignoux, Bonnes, Curzay-Sur-Vonne, Blanzay, Civray, Vellèches, Béthines, Thollet

See the regional travel overview: Vienne.