What are the must-see attractions in the Thouarsais?
Between historical heritage, exceptional natural sites and must-see events, don't miss anything the Thouarsais has to offer!
Throughout the year, we invite you to explore our treasures through a wide range of activities and discoveries.
What are the upcoming events?
Discover and take part in festive, cultural and sporting events organised in the Thouarsais, according to your preferences and interests.
My favourites in the Thouarsais
Discover the towns of the area
Thouars
Since January 1, 2019, a new commune has been created, replacing the former communes of Mauzé-Thouarsais, Missé, Sainte-Radegonde, and Thouars. Its administrative center is located at the town hall, and the new entity is named Thouars. The commune has a population of 14,538 inhabitants.
It is governed by a municipal council made up of all the current councilors from the former communes, totaling 76 members. The former communes of Mauzé-Thouarsais, Missé, and Sainte-Radegonde have become delegated communes.
The town halls of these three communes now serve as annex offices. The creation of the new commune of Thouars was the result of a process that began in early 2018. Many steps have marked its implementation, with further measures planned to organize its governance and operations in the coming year.
Pas de Jeu
Its name dates back to the Roman occupation of the region, when it was dangerous to cross the marshes of the Dive. A pagan altar, Passus Jovis, the Passage of Jupiter, was erected there. The place kept its name, ecclesia de Joco (1300), Pas de Jeu (1596) Passus Jovis or ‘Jupiter's Passage’. Since then, the Dive, a tributary of the Thouet, has been channelled The Dive is channelled downstream from Pas-de-Jeu. A path, formerly a towpath, follows its banks, making it easy to walk along the river. This church was built in 1874, opposite the old one, which was deemed too small and had been out of use since 1870. As the church was built over a cemetery, its ossuary was placed in the square of the transept in 1877.
Consecrated on Sunday 28 April 1878, the church's patron saint is Saint-Hilaire. The boat in the port of Saint-Laon in Pas-de-Jeu is emblematic. Found in the brambles near the port in the early 1990s by a resident of Saint-Laon, it weighs one tonne and measures 9.5 m in length, 1.90 m in width and 0.90 m at its highest point. It is mainly made of metal. There are also a few wooden parts. The boat was used for mowing the canal and its banks. It is the only known example in western France. It was returned to the old port in 1994.
St Martin de Macon
Saint-Martin-de-Mâcon is a rural community with 324 inhabitants, located in the northern part of the Deux-Sèvres department, within the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region. It consists of several villages and hamlets, including Saint-Martin-de-Mâcon, Mayé, Chavigny, Pied de Grolle, Bandouille, Rivet, Le Petit Puy, and Grand’Homme.
The commune is part of the Communauté de Communes du Thouarsais (Thouarsais Community of Communes). Saint-Martin-de-Mâcon has a rich history dating back over a thousand years. The small settlement formed in the 11th century and has been known by various names over time: Ecclesia de Mascone (1021–1022), Sanctus Martinus de Machum (1249), Maacon (1278), Mascons (1300), Saint Martin Mascon (1573), and finally Saint Martin de Mascon (1782).
Follow us on social media
