The area of Vienne in the region of Poitou-Charentes is characterized by countryside that is flat or only slightly hilly.
In and around Journet there is something to suit everyone’s taste. A variety of hiking routes have been established,
starting both in Journet and from locations a little further afield.
The area is great for cycling enthusiasts and there are many small villages and towns full of culture and history in the vicinity.
Below is a small sample of the possibilities in the area.
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Montmorillon
Montmorillon – ‘Cité de L’écrit’.
When you think of Montmorillon, you think of books. This humble city with its 6500 inhabitants is situated next to the river Gartemp at 7km from Journet.It calls itself the Ville d’Art et d’Histoire, but is known better by the name ‘La Cité de l’écrit et des metiers du livre’. ‘The city of authors and bookmakers’ or ‘the city of the written word’. It’s a beautiful medieval area full of narrow streets and nice little bookshops to explore, including one selling English books.
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Lussac-les-Châteaux
Lussac-les-Châteaux is in the department of Vienne in the Poitou-Charentes region. The importance of prehistoric art in Lussac can be seen by the various archaeological artefacts from this area to be found in the museum of National Antiquities in Saint-Germain-en-Laye.
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Saint-Savin
Saint-Savin, also known as Saint-Savin sur Gartempe, is famous for its Roman abbey dating from the middle of the 11th century.
This abbey is renowned for its many beautiful 11th and 12th century murals which are still in a remarkable state of preservation. It has been on the UNESCO World Heritage list since 1983.
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Poitiers
Poitiers is a beautiful historic city in the department of Vienne.
The old centre of Poitiers is situated on a hill between the confluence of the rivers Clain and Boivre, and holds many churches and other places of interest, including the court where Joan of Arc was tried. It boasts a university and a (modest) airport. There’s also a TGV stop from Paris to Bordeaux and to La Rochelle at the busy railway station.
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Chauvigny
Chauvigny is a city approximately 20kms from Journet with the ‘Cité Médiéval’ high above Chauvigny giving a beautiful view of the entire area and the river Vienne.
Chauvigny has two interesting Roman churches, both completely restored. The ruins of the castle of the bishops of Poitiers are still visible and here, during the summer season, birds of prey are flown in thrilling demonstrations. If you go to Chauvigny, make sure to visit ‘Jioux’, the cave constructed out of large blocks of stone, which is definitely a sight to see.
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Parc naturel régional de la Brenne
The Brenne regional park is a 1672kms nature reserve, situated in the Indre department, a short drive from Journet.
The park is traversed by the river Creuse, while the river Anglin flows through its southern half. The park is an area of great natural beauty containing a rich variety of wild-life and is a wonderful place to visit for a picnic or just to walk around.