Situated in the north of the Deux-Sèvres department, the Thouarsais is ideally located between the Loire Valley and the Atlantic coast. The 24 communes offer a varied landscape of agricultural plains, hedged farmland and vineyards. The GR36 and the Vélo Francette, two major national walking and cycling routes, cross the area and allow visitors to discover our natural, historical, cultural and leisure heritage.
St Jean de Thouars
A residential commune nestled around the remains of its former abbey, Saint-Jean stretches across 496 hectares along the winding banks of the Thouet River, at the foot of the Thouars citadel. Until 1910, it was known as Saint-Jean de Bonneval.
The first recorded mention of Saint-Jean dates back to 973, in a charter from King Lothair confirming the foundation of a religious institution of the Benedictine order. This would become the heart of the community: the Abbey of Saint-Jean de Bonneval.
After gaining considerable influence over the centuries—especially in the 17th century—the abbey declined, was sold as national property during the French Revolution, and eventually demolished.
The population of Saint-Jean has grown significantly in recent decades. In 1968, it numbered 606 residents; by the most recent census, it had reached 1,342 inhabitants.
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