Calme, greenery, cultural heritage., fountain, washhouse and sheep! The Saint-Rémi path will allow you to spend an afternoon in the countryside 19 minutes by car from ChatelleraultWith its 565 inhabitants, the village is home to a listed church. monument, dating from the 12th century, and featuring a flamboyant Gothic portal! It was therefore with great motivation that I set off to discover this small village, which lives up to its name…
A church, a mill, old fountains...
First stop: the center of Leigné-les-Bois
Let's start our walk in the Place de l'église, classified since 1939! Facing the town hall, I take the time to observe this small windmill which adorns the wall of a garden, then continues my way in the small streets of the village. I then have the pleasure of seeing things which are very rare these days: a water fountain. A memory of a not so distant past when not everyone had running water.
On one of them, I discover a strange character between a gargoyle and a dragon. After a few steps, no more tar, but simply a path in the middle of the fields! I listen to the silence that surrounds me, admire the greenery that stretches all around me. Looking up, I say hello to the rooster watching over the roof of an old house. Then there I am... in Asia? Yet I am still in Leigné-les-Bois but here I am in front of a bamboo grove.
At the edge of wood, I can hear the lapping of water (and maybe the bleating of a sheep), I arrived at the Saint-Rémi fountainI feel like I'm being watched, it's the flock who are wondering what I'm doing here! The sheep? It's a Poitevin expression meaning the sheep!
and Saint-Rémi fountain in all this? She was a pilgrimage site for the locals. It is said that she would have healing properties for the kidneys and that it would make it easier for children to learn to walk. Over the years, the practice evolved, and locals no longer just dipped their clothes in the fountain. The water that flows there is that of the Levels, a small stream that I will come across during my walk.
Et Saint-Rémi ? Bishop of Reims Until 533, he was celebrated on January 15. He is known for his role in the history of Soissons vase and it was he who baptized Clovis.
The sheep and the stream
Second step: The woods
"Take a walk in the woods, I promise the wolf isn't there.“. Our famous flock continues to wonder what I'm doing here. In any case, these sheep are posing for the camera!
As I climb a hill, not too steep, I spot a well in the middle of a field. I pass another walker, the only one on my walk. I invite you to pay attention to the sounds around you; you might be lucky enough to hear a woodpecker putting its heart into its work!
Finally I arrive in the meadows, which makes me want to come back by good weather, For picnic sitting in the grass near the trees. As I continue on my way, I pass a bucolic path. The trees take the form of a tunnel, a magical-looking tunnel, inviting me to venture inside. Perhaps the titmice will come to greet you as they did me. And finally, the sound of a stream, making its way through the trees and rocks.
Crosses and the smell of the countryside
Third step: The fields
Arrived at Calvary, I take a right. But first, I take the time to contemplate the cross and this path that I have just left. I smell the scent of the the countryside, the smell of the meadows and the animals passing by along the way.
I admire a wall, as if placed at random in the middle of the fields. In the background, I can see some vines. Then the path leads me back into the wood where I can hear the birds singing. And there they are again, more flocks busy mowing their meadow. This time, maybe they'll ignore me.
After observing them, smiling, I arrived again in the village, where I saw a washThe sun's rays reflect in the water, which ripples as it flows over the rocks. I reach the wash house by a small wooden bridge, crossing the stream, passing under the bridge. I leave the village again and pass another Calvary.
Meadows and trees
Stage Four: Roads and Country Lanes
I pass by magnificent conifers and again by our faithful sheep, always busy on their lawn. I pass once again by the stream, taking a much smaller form, and I let myself once again be rocked by its lapping.
This time, I almost cut across the fields, but again, be careful of the weather, so as not to sink your beautiful sneakers into the earth. I admire the village which is emerging again, I then return to the town, passing through a small park.
I hope this balade in my company you will want to discover this small village full of charm! See you soon for new adventures!
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