Culture and History
An important testament to the local ecclesiastical history is the significant Benedictine abbey for women in Beaumont. It was founded in the 7th century, and Beaumont was its seat until the French Revolution. Beaumont parish church is a former 12th-century Benedictine convent church. Notre-Dame de la Rivière, an 11th-century Romanesque church that served as Beaumont’s parish church until 1934, is also part of the area’s historic church landscape.
Saint-Pierre Church houses a 14th-century statue known as “Notre-Dame-de-la-Rivière”, which is classified as movable cultural heritage. One gate and part of the walls of Beaumont’s fortified complex have been preserved.
Saint-Jean-Marie-Vianney Church is considered an important example of 20th-century ecclesiastical architecture and contains 1,860 colored glass blocks. It was built between 1961 and 1962 to serve the new parish in the expanding Vallières district. The design is attributed to the architects Albéric Aubert (1895–1971) and Joseph Massota (1925–1989). The church is open daily all year round.
Those choosing Beaumont as their destination can plan their stay with the intention of renting a holiday apartment.
Nature
The “De la Tiretaine à la Châtaigneraie de Beaumont” route leads uphill to the Châtaigneraie de Beaumont. The area is classified as an “Espace Naturel Sensible” and is protected by the municipality of Beaumont and the département. The Châtaigneraie de Beaumont has free walking trails through the undergrowth that are accessible all year round. It can be reached via the T2C network on line 8, getting off at the Châtaigneraie stop.
The biodiversity recorded there includes 195 plant species, 55 species of diurnal butterflies, 38 bird species and 101 beetle species.
Events
The Festival of Bees and the Environment takes place every year in November and has been held for around 30 years. It includes a honey fair as well as competitions for honey and gingerbread.
On-site Information
The town of Beaumont provides seven books on promoting the local cultural heritage free of charge at the town hall and at the Maison des Beaumontois; they can also be downloaded. In addition, there are six thematic maps that can be used to explore Beaumont through six different themes.
