Parthenay, Ville et Pays d'Art et d'Histoire

Parthenay, a remarkable medieval city in the heart of the Gâtine Poitevine. Built on a rocky spur, the city of the Parthenay-Larchevêque is famous for its very well-preserved old centre housing many half-timbered houses. The spectacular fortifications, winding alleys and terraced gardens are typical of the medieval period. As a stopover on the way to Santiago de Compostela, many religious buildings from the Middle Ages can be admired here, including the Cordeliers Convent and the Saint-Pierre church in Parthenay-le-Vieux, where the monk Aimery Picaud wrote the Pilgrim's Guide in the 12th century. Beyond the fortifications stretches the Gâtine with its preserved bocage and its valleys from which many rivers flow. A territory with numerous charming villages and hamlets where a beautiful vernacular heritage is revealed (wash houses, fords, etc.).