Continuing along the path, we discover the temple, with a Thénac stone façade pierced by a Gothic-inspired door and, on the upper level, an oculus highlighted by a sculpted band. The “recumbent figure,” made of white marble, the work of the sculptor Malterre de Saujon, recalls the famous poem “The Sleeper of the Valley” by Rimbaud.
Retrace your steps to reach the marshes, the legacy of an ancient marine gulf, named the Gulf of Arvert, then the Gulf or Pond of Barbareu. Stop at the viewpoint. The arched bridges were built between the 17th and 18th centuries. They allowed animals to enter the fields. Enjoy another view of the marshland, which is mainly composed of wet meadows used for grazing cattle. Crisscrossed by canals, they preserve a rich and diverse flora.
At the gateway to the Coubre national forest and the Combots d'Ansoine forest, protected natural areas and the main green lungs of the Royannais region, Saint-Augustin is the only commune in the canton of La Tremblade not to have a sea or river outlet. However, it does have a vast forest of maritime oaks and pines, a privileged place for discovering nature.
Route details
Your itinerary
Step 1: DEPARTURE
Depart from the town hall of Saint-Augustin.
Step 2: The Church
The old medieval church was located in the Bourg district, on a small rocky outcrop that once overlooked the Gulf of Barbareu and a small fishing port. A dependency of the Abbey of Saint-Étienne de Vaux, it required extensive restoration work at the beginning of the 1859th century, which the commune was unable to finance. The Logis du Breuil was then a former noble residence with a private chapel that became the property of the commune in XNUMX.
Step 3: The temple
The Reformation took root very early on in the Arvert peninsula, with sailors and traders from Northern Europe bringing the new ideas. In the 1857th century, the town still had no church, and Protestant worshippers had to travel several kilometers to the Vaux church. A subscription was launched in 1862, allowing for the construction of a place of worship in the town. The work was entrusted to the architect Sauvion, who had already worked on the modernization of the church, hence a certain resemblance between the two buildings. It opened for worship in XNUMX.
Step 4: The recumbent figure
Located next to the Protestant church, this artistic treasure depicts a soldier reminiscent of Rimbaud's poem "The Sleeper of the Valley." This recumbent figure, made of white marble, is the work of sculptor Malterre de Saujon. This life-size sculpture depicts a soldier from the class of 1870, motionless in eternal peace. It represents Justin Élie Lecler, born in 1850 in Saint-Augustin. This young soldier during the Franco-Prussian War died in 1871 in Ornans, in the Doubs department. Upon the death of their son, Élie and Adèle had this unusual tomb erected in the family cemetery. In the early 2000s, the cemetery where it stood was in a sorry state. The commune of Saint-Augustin, with the support of DRAC and the Saintonge-Océan Reformed Church, decided to move the tomb next to the church to protect and restore it. Teachers and students from the Lycée de l'Atlantique in Royan, who specialize in stone carving, participated in this restoration. They restored the recumbent statue to its former splendor.
Step 5: View of the marsh
Located in the center of the Arvert peninsula, the marsh is the legacy of an ancient marine gulf, named Gulf of Arvert then Gulf or pond of Barbareu, which extended over a large part of the peninsula until a few centuries ago. The closure of its main outlet (Bréjat) in the 15th century following the remobilization of dune sands led to its gradual filling. In winter, when the waters cover the marshes, this part of Barbareu comes back to life for a few weeks
until the water is pumped and discharged into the Seudre (Chalézac pass).
Step 6: The small bridges
The canals date back to the 17th century, when the Barbareu pond was drained. The arched bridges allowed animals to enter the fields. Livestock farming is primarily cattle.
Step 7: The marsh – View of Aubuges
The canals preserve a rich and diverse flora: yellow iris, marsh hottonia, cardamine warbler, etc.
The fauna is composed of:
– amphibians (European pond turtle, newt
webbed, marbled newt…)
– mammals (nutria, otter, genet, etc.)
– birds (avifauna, storks, harriers, etc.)
Step 8: The forest
At the gateway to the Coubre national forest and the Combots d'Ansoine forest, Saint-Augustin boasts a vast area of holm oaks and maritime pines. The Coubre forest covers nearly 8 hectares. Its role is to contain sand movement. It is the largest national forest in Charente-Maritime. The site falls under the Forestry Regime. It is managed by the Royan Atlantique Urban Community in conjunction with the ONF (National Forestry Office).