Saint-Jouin-de-Marnes: Holiday apartments and holiday homes

Culture and history

The present-day Saint-Jouin abbey church stands in Saint-Jouin-de-Marnes. It was built between 1095 and 1130 by the monk Raoul and classified as a historic monument in 1862.

The former presbytery of Saint-Jouin Abbey is fully protected as a historic monument; it was listed on 23 January 2017. An enclosure, a park and some remains dating from the 17th century of the monastic buildings and the outbuildings surrounding them have been preserved from the former Benedictine Abbey of Saint-Jouin.

Pierre d’Amboise commissioned the cloister of Saint-Jouin in 1476. Today, only the southern section adjoining the church remains. The Benedictine Abbey of Saint-Jouin also houses the 15th-century bronze statuette of “Saint Jouin”, which crowns a holy-water font.

In honour of Saint Judicaël, a solemn relic celebration is held every year on the Sunday after the Nativity of Mary in September.

When planning a trip to Saint-Jouin-de-Marnes, the desire to rent a holiday apartment may determine the type of accommodation.

Landscape and trails

La Motte de Saint-Jouin in Saint-Jouin-de-Marnes was designated a classified site on 8 June 1909.

The circular hiking trail “Au fil de la Dive par Marnes et Lion” is marked in yellow, is 12.5 kilometres long and takes three hours. It follows grassy paths alongside clear water to the Prepson, the main tributary of the Dive.

“La sente divine” is an educational and discovery trail along the Dive. Shortcuts allow visitors to choose their own route, while information panels explain topics such as washhouses, waterways and sacred plants.

Cycling

The 33-kilometre cycling loop “La plaine, entre Dive et Thouet” passes through the landscape between the Dive and Thouet and offers views of the Saint-Jouin-de-Marnes abbey church along the way.

More local pages: Les Alleuds, Souvigné, Nueil-Les-Aubiers, La Coudre, Messé, Celles-Sur-Belle, Hanc, Saivres.

To the higher-level travel overview: Deux-Sèvres.