Through Valleys and Plateaux
Nouâtre

Through Valleys and Plateaux

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Walk along the Vienne river and experience tranquility, calm and serenity thanks to the water.

The Vienne river, separating Nouâtre from Marcilly-sur-Vienne, has shaped the history of this village, as might prove the old mound and the dungeon's ruins, erected to protect the ford in the Middle Age.

The strong links between man and landscapes are revealed and give that feeling of being "out of time"

Description

  1. The walk begins at Les Chaumes, in the vicinity of the old castle, rebuilt in the 15th century by the then lords of Sainte-Maure-de-Touraine.
    The three towers and the remaining pieces of the wall are reminders that Nouâtre was once a feudal fortress during the 11th and 12th centuries. The mound was an efficient way of surveilling the ford and the navigation on the river.
    Right next to it is the St-Léger church, listed as "French Historical Monument", and its building was dated from 1483.
    The highest rises in the water level are marked on the frontage of the bakery.
    In 1848, an oak was planted as a memorial of the French Revolution.
  2. Picnic area located behind the school.
  3. When leaving the village, the landscape opens and one can see the Moulin du Temple farm, an old windmill who belonged to the Nouâtre Templars, located by the Gallo-Roman way, which went from Belgium to Spain.
  4. Crossing of the Biez stream.
  5. Walking between the fields gives an open view on the Vienne valley.
  6. You've reached the old parish of Noyers (attached to Nouâtre in 1832), which allows you to travel to different times. This typical hamlet is garnished with stone houses, the oldest dating back from the 13th century.
  7. Noyers also has an ancient abbey on its grounds. Nowadays, only vestiges of the capitulary room remain, which are listed as Historical Monuments.
    The Saint-Jean-de-Noyers church is a Roman building, whose particularity remains in having Middle-Aged graffitis on the outside walls.
  8. Before leaving for the Cristallières hamlet, take a moment to sit on the bench by the Vienne's banks, to appreciate the peace and quiet hovering over the place.
  9. Leaving Noyers, you will see herds of cattle animals.
  10. On the river's banks, meadows act as a resting area for migratory birds, such as wild geese. The bank isn't as wooded as the rest of the area, giving a nice view on Marcilly-sur-Vienne and its church on the other side.
  11. Just a few meters away, you can see Nouâtre's church and bridge on the left. The bridge provides a connection between the industrial and agricultural area on the left bank to Sainte-Maure-de-Touraine. 
  • Departure : Nouâtre - Les Chaumes - Near the old castle
  • Arrival : Nouâtre - Les Chaumes - Near the old castle
  • Towns crossed : Nouâtre

Forecast

Altimetric profile

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