Châtellerault – Château de Dissay loop from Scorbé-Clairvaux

Bike touring routes & trails

Châtellerault – Château de Dissay loop from Scorbé-Clairvaux

Hard

5.0

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riders

Châtellerault – Château de Dissay loop from Scorbé-Clairvaux

07:01

119km

570m

Cycling

Hard bike ride. Very good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. The starting point of the route is accessible with public transport.

Last updated: September 24, 2026

Waypoints

Start point

Bus stop

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8.00 km

Start of the Sylvain Chavanel green route

Highlight • Cycleway

A beautiful greenway from Châtellerault.

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9.15 km

Entrée de Chatellerault

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The "Tours" at the beginning of the Henri IV bridge in Châtellerault are indeed a historic complex linked to the city's old fortifications. However, they must be distinguished from the three brick towers of the former Weapons Factory.
The towers are located at the end of the Henri IV bridge, on the town side, and are a remnant of the defensive system that protected the crossing of the Vienne.

Two round towers remain, on the Châteauneuf side. They once framed a monumental central pavilion, which may explain the name or the impression of a set of three towers.

🏰 The history of the Henri IV bridge towers

1. Towers already existed before the current bridge
The crossing of the Vienne at Châtellerault is very old. In the Middle Ages, the bridge had a major strategic and economic function.
At the end of the 15th century, a document already mentions two towers built on the Châteauneuf side and connected by a vault or a central structure. They were preceded by a drawbridge. It was therefore a true monumental gate giving access to the bridge.

🏛️ But there was much more than the two current towers
This is probably the point that interests us.
Originally, the entrance to the bridge on the Châteauneuf side comprised:
- a round tower to the north;
- a round tower to the south;
between them, a central pavilion with - a monumental gate;
- and a drawbridge allowing access to be closed.
The central pavilion was demolished in 1824. The two towers, however, were preserved. Recent archaeological research has indeed made it possible to find the foundations of the central pavilion.

🔎 And there were also two other towers!
The bridge was designed in a much more monumental way than we see today.
At the other end of the bridge, on the town side, there were also two square towers. They disappeared later, notably because they hindered traffic.
So originally there were four towers, two at each end, to which the central pavilion on the Châteauneuf side was added.

📷 A particularly interesting old photograph
The Ministry of Culture holds an old photograph titled "Tour d’entrée" (Entrance Tower), taken by Georges-Louis Arlaud (1869-1944). It shows the complex at a time when both towers still existed with their ancient appearance.
See the old photograph from the Ministry of Culture⁠
pop.culture.gouv.fr/notice/memoire/APHF002200?utm_source=chatgpt.com

And here is an old postcard of the southern entrance tower, which allows us to see the towers at the beginning of the 20th century.
geneanet.org/cartes-postales/view/7912977

📍 What can be seen today
The two current towers are impressive: cylindrical stone towers, topped with conical slate roofs. They belong to the City of Châtellerault, while the bridge itself is under the jurisdiction of the Department of Vienne.
Interesting point: contrary to what their military appearance might suggest, these towers did not primarily have a military defense function. They were notably used for controlling entrances and, at certain periods, for sanitary control or the collection of passage tolls.

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31.4 km

Camino de Santiago distance sign

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53.9 km

Châtellerault

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Châtellerault is the 2nd city of the department of Vienne, behind Poitiers. With 35,000 inhabitants, the city was home to a very large arms factory which closed in 1968. Many things to see: the Targé castle, the Manu site, the bridges over the Vienne and the guinguettes on the banks of the river. 'water...

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59.9 km

Le Clain

Lake

62.8 km

Gallo-Roman Theatre of Old Poitiers

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Ruins of the old theater in the Gallo-Roman city of Old Poitiers, 2000 years old. The site is often closed but still visible. During the opening period, guided tours are possible.

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73.4 km

Château de Dissay

Highlight • Castle

It was Pierre d'Amboise, bishop of Poitiers, brother of Cardinal d'Amboise, minister of Louis XII, at the end of the 15th century, who had this castle built.
The Château de Dissay served as a residence for the bishops of Poitiers until the Revolution, in 1793.
Today it is a superb Chateau hotel near Poitiers with a Spa Hammam and gourmet restaurant. For more information, here is their website: chateaudedissay.com/fr

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