An introduction –

The beginnings of Vouvant are somewhat mystical according to legend. The tale goes that the original castle here was created in just one night by the fairy Mélusine as a gift to the village.

Of this castle only the donjon that dominates its skyline remains. It is aptly named the Mélusine Tower and just a short climb to the top offers an award of breathtaking views of the village painted against a backdrop of the Mervent-Vouvant forest, and of the spectacular Vendéen countryside.

The streets are abound with flowers either neatly placed in flowerpots, or charmingly protruding from a crack in the pavement and allowed to grow wildly, perhaps in the spirit of the fairy Mélusine herself.

Colourful shutters against age-old facades offer the feeling of having landed somewhere medieval, yet soft and romantic as if the village itself invites for a walk down one narrow alleyway and up another; as if there will always be another charming little corner to discover.

Spanning one thousand years of an incredibly rich history, Vouvant still boasts impressive ramparts, ancient bridges, medieval gardens, a lavoir (communal laundry basin), and one of the original gates to the village.

Among the many villages in France that speak to the imagination of life in medieval times, Vouvant certainly delivers.

The 11th century church around which the cluster of houses began, is something of a Romanesque marvel. The intricate carvings across its portal demand closer examination and an appreciation for the artistry of bygone trades.

The village has been a gift to archaeology and patrimony. Its importance to the heritage of the Vendée is still celebrated today. So, without further ado, let us take you for a stroll along a few highlights in one of France’s most beautiful villages.

Sightseeing

• Walled enclosure of the House of Lusignan, a French royal house (or family) i.e. the amazing fortifications surrounding the village are dated 12th - 13th century
• the Tour Mélusine remaining part of the castle's keep, built at the end of the 12th century or the beginning of the 13th century to support the fortified town
• the Postern Gate is a secondary door or gate in a castle fortification wall. They were often concealed, allowing the castle inhabitants to come and go inconspicuously or even giving its defenders to make a surprise attack in a siege

• the church Notre-Dame de l'Assomption built from the 11th century under the leadership of William V, Duke of Aquitaine with Théodelin's nave (11th century). the amazing crypt (11th century, modified in the 12th century and restored in 1882-1884 for the ceiling; the square gable wall of the north portal, triangular gable wall; the beautifully preserved Gothic sculptures (1458-1464); the transept and the first three spans of the nave (restored 1882-1890)
• growing in the Monastic Garden located near the church are cooking and medicinal herbs. The lovely garden overlooks the ramparts and offers a beautiful view over the river Mère
• Cour du Miracle is a lovely courtyard telling the legend of a little boy and a cherry tree

• Medieval bridge dated between the 13th and the 15th centuries with beautiful views of the village
• the educational "Jardin des Sens" (garden of the senses) by the river is a medieval type garden featuring medicinal and aromatic plants, wild flowers and productive fruit trees. This garden promotes biodiversity with a small pond, insect houses, nesting boxes for birds and bee hives.
• Reproduction of the Grotto of Lourdes, on the bank of the Mère river (1958)
• the Lavoir, a public laundry space which was used for the washing of clothes. It was required to pay for to use these communal spaces in a sort of caste system: people with money paid, while the poor used the space for free but washed their clothes in the grime of the rich.