Chaille-les-Marais
was once an island in the Gulf of Pictons before the land was drained
in the middle-ages and as you drive along the N137 you will see to the
north side of the road the 15m cliffs that once protected its
inhabitants from the sea. You can climb to the top of of the Ilot de
Chaillezay, a small tump that is all that remains of an old castle and
in doing so you will get a superb view over the surrounding Marais.
The village owes its existence to the work of the monks from the nearby
abbeys who drained this land in 13th century and 4.5 kilometres south,
the first canal (canal des cinq abbes) crosses the N137 having commenced
in the small hamlet of Le Croix just a kilometre to the North.
North of Chaille-les-Marais the canal, Ceinture des Hollandais, constructed by Dutch engineers in the 17th century drains the lands just south of the Plain.
Restaurants in Chaille-les Marais. La Sableautine, Le Sableau.
La Maison du Maître de Digues This small museum is one of several on the Marais Poitevin
that explain the draining techniques used during the 17th century, the
farming methods that were developed to cope with the conditions, the
crafts of the Marais and an introduction to the unique flora and fauna
of the marshes.The lord of the Dikes, his life and traditions, he invites you to discover and encounter the life of this man needed to water management!
More than a job its his life, he reveals that understanding the past you can look to the future!
The museum is on the side of the N137 just north of the village.
Opening From March 1 to November 30 Low Season October / November / March 09h30-12h30/13h30-17h30 (Closed Saturday and Sunday) Mid season April / May / June / September 10h00-13h00/14h00-18h00 (Closed Saturdays) High Season July / August 10h00-13h00/14h00-18h00 The site is closed to the public in December / January / February. Tarifs;
Adults: 5 €
Reduced: € 3 *
Free for - 18 years
Templar Church, Notre Dame de Assumption, Puyravault
The Templar church of Puyravault was built in the early thirteenth
century, based on the theorem of Pythagoras. Since 1991, the parish
church has been a listed building. The medieval corbels are visible from
the cemetery and the font dates from the XIIth century.
La Fonderie Miniature: This foundry is unique in Europe, as a
workshop with surprise crafts and Alain and Annie Adin will warmly
welcome you. They will show you the molten iron and the cast iron to
enable you to understand this difficult work. They produced objects
which are very diverse, and these include plates, candlesticks and
jewellery creations.
Demonstrations in casting iron From July 13 to 07 September 2010 Every Tuesday at 16:00.
From April to June and from October to December on the second Sunday of each month at 16:00.