Ruffec / Chef-Boutonne

The Vélidéale cycle route guides you from the département (French county) of Charente into that of Deux-Sèvres to enter the Mellois area, riding along bucolic little country roads. Dotted along the way are little gems that will pique your interest: in Raix, the Romanesque church of Saint-Barthélemy; in Paizay-Naudouin-Embourie, the 14th-century Château de Saveilles, displaying an intriguing mix of medieval fort and later, Renaissance style; and in Chef-Boutonne, the Château de Javarzay, one of the earliest Renaissance châteaux to be built in the old region of Poitou. Chef-Boutonne was also the birthplace of a pioneering 19th-century French industrialist, Jean-François Cail, who built metallic structures and an industrial farm as well as advocating social responsibility. All told, this unexpected local heritage will satisfy the curiosity of cyclists who like to learn as they ride along!

The route

First, leaving Ruffec, heading for Chef-Boutonne, you ride across landscapes typical of the northern Charente area. You pass via: La Faye, which has a Nature et Patrimoine trail to follow on foot, to appreciate the local countryside and heritage; Raix, with its Romanesque church; and the Château de Paizay-Naudouin-Embourie, surrounded by its moat. On this stage, you cycle through wide-open parts, notably around Villefagnan, where the plains have been classified as a Natura 2000 site.

Practical information

Office de Tourisme Destination Nord Charente - Antenne de Ruffec
18 Pl. des Martyrs de l'Occupation 16700 Ruffec -  05 45 31 05 42
https://www.destination-nordcharente.com/

SNCF

Gare de Ruffec, on the Paris-Austerlitz < > Bordeaux-Saint-Jean line

Don't miss

• Raix : St-Barthélémy Romanesque church
• Paizay-Naudouin-Embourie: the château
• Chef-Boutonne: the Château de Javarzay - the earliest Renaissance château of the wider former Poitou Region