Liven up your holidays!

Montmoreau

Tourism, holidays & weekends guide in the Charente

Montmoreau is a commune of Charente, in the region of New Aquitaine, 30 km south of Angouleme. It was created on January 1, 2017 following the merger of Montmoreau-Saint-Cybard, its head office (1056 inhabitants), Aignes-and-Puypéroux (264 inhabitants), Saint-Amant-de-Montmoreau (699 inhabitants), Saint- Eutrope (172 inhabitants) and Saint-Laurent-de-Belzagot (409 inhabitants), totaling nearly 2600 inhabitants now.

The territory of the locality of an area of ​​some 65 km² is notably formed of wooded hills dominating the valley of the Tude, tributary of the Dronne, and constitutes the prolongation of Périgord, announcing the traditional Charentais landscape.

Seat of an important seigniory in the Middle Ages after being founded by Moors in the eighth century, according to a legend, Montmoreau is a stage of one of the paths of Saint-Jacques and benefits from the establishment of priories nearby.

The built heritage of Montmoreau, rich in Romanesque buildings, its green environment and its offer of leisure "nature" make it a pleasant step between Aquitaine and Périgord, besides a part of the agricultural activity is dedicated to viticulture, the locality with vines classified in "Fins Bois", in the heart of the appellation cognac.

Geographical information

MunicipalityMontmoreau
Postcode16190
Tourism label
Latitude45.3962340 (N 45° 23’ 46”)
Longitude0.1309809 (E 0° 7’ 52”)
AltitudeFrom 59m to 201m
Surface area64.85 km²
Population2604 inhabitants
Density40 inhabitants/km²
PrefectureAngoulême (31 km, 31 min)
Insee code16230
IntercommunalityCC Lavalette Tude Dronne
DepartmentCharente
TerritoryCharentes
RegionNew-Aquitaine

Nearest cities & towns

Courgeac5.3 km (8 min)
Juignac5.9 km (10 min)
Nonac9.1 km (14 min)
Saint-Martial9.2 km (9 min)
Montboyer9.8 km (9 min)
Bors (Canton de Tude-et-Lavalette)10.6 km (12 min)
Salles-Lavalette10.8 km (13 min)
Vaux-Lavalette11.2 km (15 min)
Pérignac11.3 km (15 min)
Saint-Laurent-des-Combes11.9 km (13 min)
Chadurie12.2 km (12 min)
Pillac12.6 km (16 min)
Montignac-le-Coq12.9 km (14 min)
Saint-Félix13.1 km (14 min)
Bellon13.2 km (14 min)

Things to see and do

The various villages now grouped have buildings which for the most part are integrated in the census of the most beautiful examples of churches, abbeys or priories of the "novel" Charente. Discovery trails have been designed with signs and information plates affixed. All information on +33 5 45 24 08 79 or +33 5 45 98 57 18.

In detail, on Aignes-and-Puyperoux, we will appreciate the church Saint-Martial whose bell tower dates from the twelfth century. The rest of the building (nave, dome on pendentifs and apse in cul-de-four, in particular), was reworked in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. It is in the village that was founded, besides, the abbey of Puypéroux, as of the VIth century. Occupied by Benedictine monks, they leave it during the wars of Religion and it was not until the beginning of the 19th century that the site came back to life and was the seat of an institution of education for girls under the name of Abbey of Our Lady of the Angels. The Congregation of the Holy Family of Bordeaux assures the succession in 1965 and since 2005, the abbey is property of an association. It remains the conventual buildings and the church, as isolated in the fields, where a summer festival of jazz takes place. The church has preserved elements of primitive novel quite remarkable (capitals, sculptures, dome and choir).

On the village of Montmoreau-Saint-Cybard, the Saint-Denys church was located on the edge of the old Saint-Jacques road from Tours. It has retained its original appearance of the twelfth century, except the square bell tower, rebuilt in the nineteenth century. There are modillions in the form of faces or animals and especially the Romanesque frontispiece of beauty (arched portal, archivolte resting on columns with carved capitals). The decorations bear witness to an oriental influence and a singularity is to be noted on the architectural level: the ground being sloping, steps allow to connect the narthex to the imposing nave. The dome is also beautifully made and we finally observe that the capitals are decorated with acanthus leaves.

On Saint-Amant, in the heart of the historic district, the church dates from the twelfth century too and long depended on the abbey of Nanteuil-en-Vallée (in the north of Charente). In the nineteenth century, restorations were necessary that modified some original elements but preserved some specificities, such as frescoes on the south wall. The northern portal, on the other hand, is characteristic of the Renaissance. Finally, we note that a refuge was built at the bell tower, which allowed to monitor the surroundings during the Hundred Years War and during the wars of Religion.

At Saint-Eutrope, the church dates to its oldest parts of the eleventh century and was restored in the nineteenth. The unvisited nave allows to admire the original structure. An old door now houses a statue of the Virgin.

In Saint-Laurent, finally, the church of the twelfth century was integrated into a priory under the order of Cluny. Heavily damaged in 1820 (the nave and the belfry collapsed), the building has retained a beautiful door to curl. The restoration works, however, were faithful to the original Romanesque style. The steeple and its slate-covered spire was renovated in 1880.

As for the "civil" architecture, the castle of Montmoreau is the jewel of the commune. It dominates the city and the valley, seat of a lordship since the eleventh century then elevated to the rank of barony, the building passing into the hands of various owners from the sixteenth century (Prévost families then Rochechouart and Perry). In the twentieth century, the site houses the gendarmerie before being bought and restored.

Nowadays, the castle has preserved from the eleventh century vestiges of enclosure, a door and two towers. Between them, the main building in the shape of a manor, built on embankments in the 15th century, has hardly been reworked (except inside). The facades and roofs have been classified, and especially the lower parts of the Romanesque chapel, built in the park, dating from the twelfth century. The beautiful lane lined with lime trees leading to the field has also been renovated. The castle is private and can not be visited.

For leisure sports and "nature", the outdoor pool is ideal for combining relaxation and swimming. It includes a 25m pool and two smaller pools, a lawn, playgrounds (beach volleyball). Open from June to September. Information on +33 5 45 60 37 88.

For tennis fans, contact the local club at +33 6 31 05 90 44 to reserve a court.

Fishermen, for their part, can enjoy the beautiful quality of the waters of the Tude basin. Information from the town hall at +33 5 45 60 33 19 or the cantonal association at +33 5 45 98 35 13.

The new town is finally a small paradise for hikers. A "green trail" with three loops has been designed and marked out, including the old town, the beautiful arboretum of the Mirandes Park or the wooded areas, depending on the case. Other circuits can be envisaged including the merged villages, their agricultural parcels or vineyards and their green valleys. Maps and information on +33 5 45 24 08 79 or +33 5 45 98 57 18.

Places of interest

Monuments
Transport

Events and festivities

Weather

Tuesday 19 march
Min. 7°C - Max. 20°C
Day
Night
Wednesday 20 march
Min. 9°C - Max. 22°C
Day
Night
Thursday 21 march
Min. 12°C - Max. 21°C
Day
Night

Visits, leisure and activities nearby

Leisure activities

Last nameActivity typeRateCity
Le Ferron animal park
Nature and the great outdoors5 € to 8 € Condéon (18.5 km)
L'Oisellerie agricultural college's gourmet food shop
Local flavoursFreeLa Couronne (25 km)
Tour and tasting at the Domaine Montansier
Local flavoursFreeGraves-Saint-Amant (33 km)
Sightseeing cruise in the Venice of Périgord
Entertainment7 € to 10 € Brantôme en Périgord (40 km)
Face de Tract Escape Game
Entertainment52 € to 84 € La Rochefoucauld-en-Angoumois (43 km)

Outings

Last nameOuting typeDifficultyDurationDeparture municipality
Loop of Vendoire
HikeEasy2:30Vendoire (13.6 km)
Loop by the King of Chauzes Cross Rat
HikeEasy4:00Paussac-et-Saint-Vivien (32 km)
Ancient loop Paussac Saint-Just
HikeEasy4:00Paussac-et-Saint-Vivien (32 km)
Trotte-Renard Mill
Village visitEasy1:30Bunzac (38 km)
Banks of the Tardoire
HikeEasy1:30Eymouthiers (42 km)

Restaurants

Bed & breakfasts

Vacation rentals

Campsites

Hotels

Your holidays
A hotel
A vacation rental
A bed & breakfast
A campsite
A leisure activity
A restaurant
A rental car
A plane ticket
By continuing to browse our site, you are agreeing to the use of cookies to improve your experience and make targeted offers.
Find out more and make settings
Your account