Naintré

Tourism, holidays & weekends guide in the Vienne

Naintré is a town in Vienne, in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, to the south-west of Châtellerault with which it borders.

Its territory of nearly 25 km² is crossed to the east by the Clain, a tributary of the Vienne into which it flows to the north.

To the west, the A10 motorway and the former national road 10 heading towards Poitiers run through the locality. It has retained a green environment, 45% covered by agricultural land and 33% by forests.

Occupied since the Neolithic (presence of menhirs) then by an important Roman city (archaeological site of Vieux-Poitiers), to the east, where Charles Martel's children would have shared his estate, Naintré essentially remains an agricultural commune. The exploitation of quarries and in the 19th century the establishment of industrial units along the Clain modified its appearance somewhat. However, it was not until the last third of the twentieth century that the rise of the agglomeration of Châtellerault boosted local demography (Naintré now has nearly 6,000 inhabitants).

However, its heritage of interest and its environment (forests, ponds) make it a very popular green lung.

Geographical information

Municipality	Naintré
Postcode	86530
Latitude	46.7626680 (N 46° 45’ 46”)
Longitude	0.4791240 (E 0° 28’ 45”)
Altitude	From 49m to 131m
Surface area	24.86 km²
Population	6049 inhabitants
Density	243 inhabitants/km²
Prefecture	Poitiers (25 km, 29 min)
Insee code	86174
Intercommunality	CA Grand Châtellerault
Department	Vienne
Territory	Poitou
Region	New-Aquitaine

Nearest cities & towns

Colombiers	5.4 km (8 min)
Beaumont Saint-Cyr	6.2 km (9 min)
Cenon-sur-Vienne	6.2 km (11 min)
Scorbé-Clairvaux	8.4 km (11 min)
Vouneuil-sur-Vienne	8.4 km (14 min)
Châtellerault	10 km (15 min)
Dissay	10.1 km (14 min)
Availles-en-Châtellerault	11.6 km (15 min)
Saint-Genest-d'Ambière	12.4 km (15 min)
Thuré	12.7 km (15 min)
Bonneuil-Matours	13.5 km (18 min)
Jaunay-Marigny	13.5 km (15 min)
Sossais	14.3 km (19 min)
Ouzilly	14.3 km (19 min)

Things to see and do

A true town in the countryside, Naintré preserves a varied heritage which bears witness to a rich and long history.

Thus, the menhir of Vieux-Poitiers and that of Souhé, of polissoir type (monumental, this megalith of 4.5 tons was also intended to polish axes), both registered in the Inventory, prove that from the Neolithic, the site was occupied by men.

We can then observe the castle of the Tower, whose major element, the tower, was built on a chalky hill dominating the current road to Poitiers in the 14th century by the lord of Naintré. In 1892, the estate was acquired by the owner of the Chat Noir cabaret in Montmartre, who carried out consolidation work as well as decoration. At the turn of the 1900s, "cabaret" evenings were organized in the house! Now inserted in a square dwelling, the three-storey high tower has a walkway and elements subsequent to its foundation. The site is also partly protected as historical monuments, and it is still private.

Then head east of the town to apprehend the archaeological site of Vieux-Poitiers which was the subject of large-scale excavation campaigns from the 1970s. Here stretched over some 60 hectares a Roman town on the road linking Poitiers to Tours, and whose most spectacular monument was a theater that can accommodate up to 10,000 spectators. A 14 m high entrance tower has been cleared. Listed in the Inventory, the archaeological site is the subject of guided tours in season (contact +33 5 49 21 05 47).

As tradition dictates, part of the old abandoned town was used as a quarry during the Middle Ages and we find reused elements (in particular local tuffeau) in later buildings…

This is the case at the level of the Saint-Vincent church, erected in the 12th century in a Romanesque style and which was altered in the 15th century with the addition of a new choir and a side chapel. Inside, there is a beautifully crafted gilded wood altarpiece, 19th century paintings and quality stained glass windows, one of which was made to serve as a "monument to the dead".

Finally, to conclude this heritage overview, but in a different register, see the Coindres mill, a symbol in particular of cutlery craftsmanship. Private property, it is open to visitors during Heritage Days and in summer, for groups: inquire at +33 5 49 90 20 05.

On the cultural side, shows (theater, concerts) are frequently scheduled at the MJC, rue Barbusse: contact on +33 5 49 23 20 18. Activities (readings, meetings, exhibitions) are also offered at the media library: information on +33 5 49 90 25 26.

For athletes, the swimming pool is mainly dedicated to swimming 'initiation (information on +33 5 49 90 03 05), and are accessible to visitors and holidaymakers a city stadium (to play basketball, football, handball...) and tennis courts (reservation at the local club on +33 6 16 28 23 67).

On the "nature" side, particularly suitable for walks and picnics, the Domine peninsula, the Bracon and Laumont lakes, with their protected biodiversity, are synonymous with a change of scenery.

This is also the case with the Coulée Verte which runs along the Riveau stream and which is punctuated in a logically green setting by heritage elements (panels in the shape of totems recall the history of the local cutlery industry, for example, and the pretty restored washhouse on rue Rabelais also harkens back to the daily life of yesteryear…).

While fishermen can enjoy the ponds and the Cours du Clain (inquire about the regulations on +33 5 49 37 66 60), hikers are also at the party. Three signposted circuits are set up in the town: that of the Moulin (7.5 km), that of Beaudiment (11 km) and finally the circuit of the Forest (13 km). Other loops are possible, including incursions on Châtellerault, in particular, or taking sections of an old way of Saint-Jacques, and tracks adapted to two-wheelers are also available. Maps and information on +33 5 49 21 05 47.

Note that you can also discover the countryside around the village via carriage rides (join +33 6 60 10 30 67) or during horseback rides (contact the Éperon equestrian center on +33 7 66 51 88 34).

Last name	Outing type	Difficulty	Duration	Departure municipality
Nouâtre/Noyers	Hike	Easy	1:30	Nouâtre (33 km)
Over time	Hike	Easy	40 min	Nalliers (35 km)
Saint Savin: between exceptional heritage and mysterious wood	Hike	Easy	2:35	Saint-Savin (36 km)
Between Gartempe and Anglin	Car itinerary	Easy	30 min	Saint-Savin (37 km)
Along the streets of Saint-Savin and Saint-Germain	Hike	Easy	50 min	Saint-Savin (37 km)

Naintré

Tourism, holidays & weekends guide in the Vienne

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