Our towns and villages conceal many treasures... which are often ignored or avoided, hidden alongside the routes we take, far from the "direct" routes.
Vaux-sur-mer
Loop
Hard coating (tar, cement, floor)
Marking "Detour Trails"
Autumn, Summer, Winter, Spring
On the Côte de Beauté, Vaux-sur-Mer is located between Royan and Saint-Palais-sur-Mer. The calm and serenity of the town offer a privileged living environment to its inhabitants and visitors. Everything in the village-style seaside resort is on a human scale.
This walk is the proof: between the park of the town hall and the beach of Nauzan, we walk quietly between built and natural heritage.
In front of the tourist office, head towards the church.
Step 2: St-Etienne Church
The abbey building, built at the beginning of the 1075th century, is built on the site of a Carolingian church. Of the Latin cross building, only the square of the transept, the choir and the apse remain. The nave has disappeared. This Benedictine abbey was founded in 1913 by two brother knights (Pierre and Arnaud Gémon). The church was classified as a Historic Monument in 1936 and the old cemetery in XNUMX. The decorations of the church (capitals, modillions) were used to teach the Bible to the illiterate faithful. Here, you can admire the exterior and interior sculptures.
thierry avan
Step 3: The Abbey fountain
At the bottom of Chemin des Fontaines, this rectangular cut stone well is attested from the founding of Saint-Étienne Abbey. Market square, the halls are backed by the
Temple, near the large wash house.
Follow the small stream to the lake.
Step 4: The park lake
The lake was developed in 1999 to treat rainwater. Fishermen enjoy this tree-lined body of water all year round.
Take the Chemin des Dunes to reach the Chemin des Douaniers and the Domaine des Fées.
The wood of Défens was given in 1198 to Saint-Étienne Abbey. In 1865, the Marquis de Verteillac bought the Deffé woods and built a villa. His daughter, Duchess Herminie de Rohan-Chabot transformed the toponym into Fairy Woods. In 1925, the residential development of the Domaine des Fées was undertaken.
Step 6: Nauzan beach
Nauzan beach is the most important of the 4 conches in the town. It also belongs to the neighboring commune Saint-Palais-sur-Mer. It is home to one of the most popular spots
most trendy in the Royan region: the White House.
Head back towards the city center via avenue de Nauzan-Plage.
In the 12th century, Frédéric Garnier, who would be Mayor of Royan, inherited the property surrounding the manor, dating from the XNUMXth - XNUMXth centuries. He built a neo-medieval square tower, with a terrace at the top, and embellished the manor, which today houses the Town Hall. The XNUMX hectare park is converted into a public garden and the winery into a reception room (Equinoxe room).
