Usseau, Deux-Sèvres, Poitou-Charentes

In 2019, Usseau joins with Priaires and Thorigny-sur-le-Mignon to form the new commune of Val-du-Mignon and becomes its chief town.

Come and discover the incredible heritage of Usseau, Antigny and Olbreuse !

Thanks to archaeological excavations, we find traces of occupation of the Rochénard site since the end of the 1st century and the beginning of the 2nd century AD. The 1978-79 excavations revealed a cemetery with burnt human and animal bones, fragments of ceramics and glass, as well as coins dating from the Roman period. You can find them at the Pierre-Henri Mitard cultural space in Usseau. Since 1287, the name of the commune has been in constant evolution but the toponymy is quite similar. The culture of the vine is the main activity of the commune in the XIXth century but the phylloxera puts an end to it. The inhabitants turned to livestock and cereal farming. In 1948, the commune was described as a "pilot" because it was a model for rural communes: electricity, running water, baths and showers, a rural home... -> Unmarked route

Espania, Hyspaniae, Espanes : The oldest names of Epannes, located on the ancient roads from Saintes to Angers and from Saintes to Poitiers, suggest that Spaniards are not strangers to its foundation. Perhaps Iberian legionnaires at the time of the Roman conquest of Gaul of which the village would have been an ancient military station? Have a good walk and don't forget that you are not alone on the paths you are going to take. We invite you to respect nature: avoid picking flowers and plants, do not leave any rubbish behind, respect inhabited areas, stay on the paths, keep dogs on a lead. -> Unmarked itinerary

This course is part of the Niort - Marais Poitevin Trail Station. Without doubt a royal course for beginners and those who are looking for a place to recover actively This trail originates from a variety of strawberry that bears fruit for 40 days. These atypical strawberries were known at the court of the kings of France! Enjoy this trail in the peaceful territory of the Niort Marais Poitevin trail station! -> Trail Station marked out course

2 PR connected by a linear of 1.7 km along the canal of Mignon.

All the cycle routes in the Deux-Sèvres Marais Poitevin have the same markings. On these markers (wooden beams with a turquoise plate), are indicated the numbers of the circuits in black. Here, follow the Number 8. The circuits are marked out in both directions, there is no specific starting point, you can start your walk wherever you like. Be careful, the small paths can be used by motorized vehicles. Safety instructions - Wearing a helmet is highly recommended. I ride on the right. I respect the rules of the road. I check the condition of my bike (brakes and lighting). I stay on the marked paths. I respect the marsh, a sensitive and classified site.

Enjoy a walk at the edge of the forest of Chizé and discover the charming village of Beauvoir-sur-Niort.

Lined up along a straight main street and crossed by two reaches and the Courance, the village and its hamlets continue this peasant tradition by living today from dairy farming, egg production and cereal crops. Have a good walk and remember that you are not alone on the paths you will take. We therefore invite you to respect nature: avoid picking flowers and plants, do not leave any rubbish behind, respect inhabited areas, stay on the paths, keep dogs on a leash -> Marking: not marked except for signs on the path of the maraîchine.

This course is part of the Niort - Marais Poitevin Trail Station. A forest course for trailers who want to work on their endurance. This course will allow you to do technical sessions such as Fartleck with feeling, blocks with threshold and many others! -> Trail Station marked course

I'll be waiting for you at Nathalie's to take you on a traditional boat tour of the Venise Verte (Green Venice), despite the fact that we're on a jetty, I'm the one taking you on a boat tour! Are you ready to discover the Marais Sauvage? Lunch will be a local picnic. Get your taste buds ready! Then it's time to get on the bike and head for the land of donkeys. After a few kilometers, we'll stop off at Quentin's Parc Du Coq à l'âne. This place helps to preserve the Baudet du Poitou. With an exceptional and unique show, we enter the donkey enclosure. Ready for a cuddle? Not even Park visitors are this lucky! After the presentation of this great animal, we walk towards the soap factory to join Christelle. Can you smell it? That's the smell of soap. Those fumes, Madame, but also Monsieur.

If you love nature, hiking and cycling, this is the ideal place to come and recharge your batteries with family or friends. This spacious, detached house has a 400m² enclosed garden. The gîte is 800m from the Chizé Zoodyssée and 30 min from the Marais Poitevin.

3 km from the historic centre of Niort, between town and countryside, in a beautiful wooded domain, your pleasure meeting in Niort-Bessines. Free parking. In front of the fireplace or on the large terrace, a warm welcome, a tasty and generous inn kitchen with the products of the market and the essential bistro cuisine. "Homemade" recommended by Tripadvisor. Since May 2018, the establishment has been invested in the "Mon resto engagé" operation, whose objective is to combat food waste by various means both in the organization and in the use of products.

2 Star recently renovated Hotel for business trips or holidays. Air conditioning. Between Niort and the ‘Venise Verte’. Parking. Sauna. Terrace. Swimming pool. Bar. Lounge. Wi-Fi. Receptionist 24/7.

Original Vélo Tour has been offering guided gourmet bike rides throughout the Marais Poitevin and Vendée since 2017. Off the beaten track or on cycle paths, our 1h30 Bike Escapades or Discovery Days offer discoveries of fauna, flora, local producers and little-known heritage. Find out more about our experiences at www.originalvelotour.fr Original Vélo Tour has been awarded the Qualité Tourisme and Valeurs Parc Naturel Régional du Marais Poitevin labels since 2019.

In the classified site of the Marais poitevin, welcome to the "Green Venice", eco-labelled campsite with heated outdoor pool. Tent, caravan and motorhome pitches; rental of eco-lodges, mobile homes and chalets (120 pitches including 27 rentals). Direct access to the canals of the marsh (rental of canoes and paddles): nature reveals its riches! Entertainment in high season. Grocery store.

Discover the charm of a redefined hotel bordering the river ‘Sèvre’ in the heart of the ‘Venise Verte’ (Green Venice). Labellised "Home Bike".

A trendy boutique hotel with a minimalist design. Bedrooms with small terrace. Buffet breakfast available with homemade jams and cakes.

An address in Coulon, the emblematic village of Green Venice where hospitality, friendliness and comfort have been recognized for 25 years! 3 single-storey rooms with direct views of the marsh, located on circuit 19 of the Vélo Francette. Approval "Accueil Vélo" (garage available). Heated swimming pool from May 15 to September 30. Mini-fridge in every room. Welcome to the Reeds!

Pied à terre in Aiffres for those who love nature, quiet, near the Marais Poitevin classified "Grand Site of France", 2 km from Niort and 60 km from La Rochelle. Walking / cycling, fishing. Local stores. Cottage of 100 m2 comfortable single storey for 4-6 people. Living room with antique furniture, living room with sofa and leather armchair, fitted kitchen, shower room, WC, 3 bedrooms (bed of 140, dressing). LCD television with DVD / CD player, Wifi access. Sheets, linens and towels provided. Baby equipment on request. Garden of pleasure of 600 m2, terrace with living room of garden and barbecue. Electricity (except from Sep to June), heating and water included, tourist taxes not included. Our friends the animals must abstain. Activities: historical center and museums of Niort, Marais Poitevin, forest and Zoodysée of Chizé, Puy du Fou, Futuroscope, La Rochelle.

Don't hesitate to visit the exhibition retracing the various archaeological discoveries from the site of Usseau (Merovingian cemetery) as well as the incredible history of the Olbreuse family. Pierre-Henri Mitard was a historian who was very involved in the historical research related to the discoveries of the end of the 20th and beginning of the 21st century. The site is open on Wednesday and Friday from 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm and on Saturday from 10:00 am to 12:30 pm.

At the end of the 10th century, Guillaume, lord of Usseau, gave the Benedictine priory of Saint-Pierre to the abbey of Saint-Florent in Saumur. The 12th century church was enlarged in the 14th century. It was devastated during the Wars of Religion. The upper parts of the church were subsequently redesigned. Its western facade is flanked by buttresses crowned with circular overhanging elements corresponding to the stumps of watchtowers, a reminder that the building was fortified. To be seen: medieval sarcophagi from archaeological excavations, an incomplete sarcophagus decorated with crosses on a staff at the head and bottom, tombstones from the 17th and 18th centuries.

Romanesque church of the 12th century, it presents several phases of reworking: sculpted capitals of the 14th century at the level of the chevet, a restoration of the bell tower in the 19th century for example. Interesting point: sarcophagi from the XIth-XIIIth century, funerary slabs and baptismal funds with double vats from the beginning of the XVIIth century.

A place of passage between the plain of Aunis, the Marais Poitevin and the sea, Usseau derives from Ussena meaning a hillock planted with vines. Attached to the canton of Mauzé-sur-le-Mignon, the commune is made up of five hamlets known locally as "les écarts": Antigny, Le Grand Breuil, Olbreuse, Le Plénisseau and Ussolière. Located at the crossroads of an ancient Roman road leading from Saintes to Nantes, the village tells the story of 2000 years of local history. Remains of several ancient sites have been revealed during the digging of trenches, gardening and ploughing. A former Huguenot centre, Usseau is the birthplace of Eléonore Desmier, born in 1639 in Olbreuse. Through marriages, her descendants are present in seventeen European dynasties, hence her nickname of grandmother of Europe. Every two years, a summer show is organised in the courtyard of her castle to honour her memory.

We find here a rather rich washhouse dating from 1900, having three stone walls, a tile roof, and an adjustable floor according to the height of the water arm.

This water mill dates from the 19th century. Others are in the surrounding villages like Ussolière.

This windmill dates from 1826. It can also be found in the village of Ussolière.

Rebuilt in the 13th or 14th century, the castle consists of a quadrilateral flanked by four corner towers with four tiers of loopholes to guard against bands of prowlers during the wars. One of the walls was removed in 1760 to allow the construction of a wing perpendicular to the central dwelling, the enlargement of the windows and the raising of the first floor of the main building. At the end of the 19th century, the first floor of the wing was raised, its roof was replaced by a zinc-covered framework and the back tower was demolished. After a slow deterioration due to lack of funds, the castle was renovated in 1967 by Christiane Desmier d'Olbreuse and her husband Félix Maingueneau. It was listed in 1973. Private property. Free guided tour of the exterior from July to mid-August. For more information, contact Geneviève de Réals 05.49.04.98.65. and olbreusereals@free.fr

She was the wife of the Duke of Brunswick-Lunebourg-Zell, Elector of Hanover. In 1685, she welcomed into her duchy all the Protestant nobility of Poitiers who were under threat. Through intermarriage, the blood of the D'Olbreuse family is present in 17 European dynasties, hence its nickname of grandmother of Europe. There is a genealogical relationship with the Mitterrand family.

Usseau derives from "Ussena" meaning a hill planted with vines. The commune is composed of 5 hamlets nicknamed locally the "gaps". Located at the crossroads of an old Roman road leading from Saintes to Nantes, the village tells 2,000 years of local history at the Pierre-Henri Mitard cultural centre. Remains of several ancient sites have been revealed. Usseau is also the cradle of Eléonore Desmier, born in 1639 in Olbreuse and married to the Duke of Brunswick-Lunebourg-Zell, the elector of Hanover. Through the game of weddings, his descendants are present in 17 European dynasties, hence his nickname of "grandmother of Europe". Every two years, a summer show is organized in the courtyard of his castle to honour his memory. In 2019, Usseau joins forces with Priaires and Thorigny-s.-le-Mignon to form the new commune of Val-du-Mignon and becomes its capital.

Street Food

Open all year round, Monday to Friday for lunch and Friday evening. Saturday noon, June to September. Evenings and Sundays upon reservation for groups.

Welcome to Le Fusionnel restaurant. Our cuisine is family-style and traditional. It's inspired by simple moments of sharing and indulgence. From Monday to Friday, we offer lunchtime menus: - Starter + Main Course + Dessert at 18.00 ? - Starter + Main Course or Main Course + Dessert at 16.00 ? - Main course at 12.00 ? For takeaway catering and events, please contact us by phone on 05 49 04 64 63

Gastronomic restaurant at the Château du Domaine du Griffier. Inventive "homemade" cuisine of extreme quality between land and sea. A decoration between tradition and modernity. Think of the terrace on sunny days: the view of the castle is sumptuous. Catering activity for your receptions or weddings at Domaine du Griffier.

With 10 years' experience in the restaurant business, our chef has drawn inspiration from all over the world, harmoniously synthesizing the familiar and the unknown to create bold, refined flavors. When we arrived in Saint-Georges-de-Rex, we decided to name the restaurant Le Rexois after the inhabitants of this beautiful village, because we were welcomed with open arms and felt immediately at home. The restaurant is 100% home-made with local produce. From appetizer boards to salads, from local dishes to burgers accompanied by homemade cocktails!

Let yourself succumb to the pleasure of the table at MaraiSnack, the restaurant at "Du Coq à l'Âne". Enjoy a shady terrace with a cozy atmosphere, reflecting the human warmth of Chef Olivier’s dishes! Our restaurant is 100% accessible to both visitors and non-visitors of the Park. A heart kitchen that Olivier the Chef offers you with pleasure under his shaded terrace of 100 m2. Let yourself be tempted by the ice cream with donkey’s milk or by the eel-fries house, um a treat! Local, fresh and seasonal products, our restaurant team offers you quality dishes and desserts to discover during your stay!

18th century house in a classified park of 3 hectares. Seminar, pool, tennis court, guest rooms. Traditional catering, fresh seasonal produce. Open all year from Tuesday to Saturday.

The Salvia gîte is part of a complex of 3 gîtes, including parking and buildings, on a 2700 m² plot on the outskirts of Usseau (Val-du-Mignon), 100 m from the village square and shops. The front of the gîtes faces our house. Ground floor: large stone room with open-plan kitchen, sofa bed and living room with fireplace. The toilet is under the wooden staircase. 1st floor: 2 bedrooms (one with a double bed and a Japanese room with 2 futons), bathroom with shower and washbasin. Outside: small courtyard with garden furniture and barbecue. A 200m² enclosed relaxation area is available for the 3 gîtes. The above-ground swimming pool is 1m20 high and measures a maximum of 7m by 4m. Water filling is subject to prefectoral restrictions.

The Solanum gîte is part of a complex of 3 gîtes, including parking and buildings, on a 2700 m² plot on the outskirts of Usseau (Val-du-Mignon), 100 m from the village square and shops. The front of the gîtes faces our house. Ground floor: large stone room with open-plan kitchen, sofa bed and living room with fireplace. The toilet is under the wooden staircase. 1st floor: 2 bedrooms (one with double bed and one with 2 single beds), bathroom with shower and washbasin. Outside: small courtyard with garden furniture and barbecue. A 200m² enclosed relaxation area is available for the 3 gîtes. The above-ground swimming pool is 1m20 high and measures a maximum of 7m by 4m. Water filling is subject to prefectoral restrictions.

The Passiflora gîte is part of a complex of 3 gîtes, including parking and buildings, on a 2700 m² plot on the outskirts of Usseau (Val-du-Mignon), 100 m from the village square and shops. The front of the gîtes faces our house. Ground floor: large stone room with open-plan kitchen, sofa bed and living room with fireplace. The toilet is under the wooden staircase. 1st floor: 2 bedrooms (one with double bed and one with 2 single beds), bathroom with shower and washbasin. Outside: small courtyard with garden furniture and barbecue. A 200m² enclosed relaxation area is available for the 3 gîtes. The above-ground swimming pool is 1m20 high and measures a maximum of 7m by 4m. Water filling is subject to prefectoral restrictions.

Come and relax in the renovated Marie-Do, in the heart of the Niortaise countryside, 15 km from the Marais Poitevin and close to La Rochelle. Breakfast and meals with local products. Change of scenery and calm guaranteed! Capacity: 2 bedrooms for 4 people and 1 cot.

Between the Deux-Sèvres and the Charente-Maritime, longère in limestone of the country restored in guest house whose central basin of the courtyard welcomes you to the sound of the streaming water. Table d'hôte dinner on reservation (small homemade verrines, fresh local products, sweets). To do: stroll along the Mignon, between Antigny and Usseau; visit the Marais Poitevin on foot, by boat, bicycle or horse and discover its Romanesque abbeys; to go further on the beaches of the Ocean, to the Aquarium of La Rochelle, the zoo of La Palmyre, the Futuroscope, the islands of Oléron and Ré; witness the magic of Puy du Fou; golf or ULM at Antigny airport.

Former farmhouse located near the river. Farmhouse with 4 dormitories for up to 29 people and a room for 80 people. Kitchen and bathroom. Open all year round. Near the Marais Poitevin, 30min from Niort and 40min from La Rochelle.