The best road cycling routes around Chiché

A beautifully landscaped oriental park. Very well served by cycle paths from Cholet or Bressuire/Mauléon. The largest Japanese garden in Europe.

As you probably know, in the year 732, the armies of Charles Martel repelled the Arab advance around Poitiers. A troop of routed Saracens then barricaded themselves in the old parish church of St Sauveur and promised to surrender only in the event of divine intervention. However, in this month of May, after nights of prayers by the villagers, a cold snap hit the Poitiers countryside to the point of covering the grove with an astonishing layer of frost. The Saracens saw the sign of Allah in this unexpected event and decided to leave the village without giving battle. This legend gave its name to the village and the church of the Holy Trinity became a place consecrated by the religious authorities of the region. The oldest parts of the building that stands today on the small village square date back to the 11th century, but the church had to undergo several restoration campaigns during the 19th century. It now appears to us as a fine example of a Romanesque church, simple, rustic and austere. Note the modern stained glass windows made in the 1990s by Louis-René Petit, an artist who also worked in Sénanque and St Benoît sur Loire. His compositions inspired by frost give the church an atmosphere in harmony with its legend.

Bressuire Castle is a medieval ruin dating from the 10th century and having belonged to the Beaumont family. You can discover the 700 meter long enclosure and its 38 towers, admire the romantic remains of the 15th century dwelling and enjoy the view of the chapel and the old slaughterhouse from the esplanade. The castle also hosts temporary exhibitions, sculpture symposia and treasure hunts in summer.

Very nice oriental garden (larger in Europe)

Magnificent ruins of the fortified castle which can be seen from afar with its toothless silhouette. Its origin dates back to the 11th century, and it was one of the strongholds of Poitou. Decorated with works of art and entertainment, the estate can be visited freely.

Its origins date back to the 11th century, it was capped in the 16th century by a Gothic bell tower rising to 56m in height and dominates from the city center of Bressuire.

Entrance to the park which is hardly visible from the road. With its 29ha, it is the largest Japanese-inspired park in Europe which can be visited through the ticket office. Originally, this garden was part of the outbuildings of the neighboring Château Colbert. The estate was bought by the Bergère family at the end of the 19th century. The son-in-law of the family, Alexandre MARCEL, a famous orientalist architect, converted the park into a Japanese landscape, notably using molds and pieces from the 1900 Universal Exhibition in which he participated.

17th century castle that belonged to the Colbert family (which a priori has nothing to do with Louis XIV's famous controller general of finance). Stofflet, one of the leaders of the Vendée insurgents, was the hunting ranger of the estate. The castle suffered the ravages of the Vendée wars and was rebuilt according to the original plans in the 19th century. It is currently a luxury hotel restaurant adjoining the famous oriental park. The castle's vegetable garden can also be visited.