Le Girouard - Pays des Achards Tourist Office

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“The picturesque”

The Girouard is the smallest commune in the Pays des Achards in Vendée. This small village is located off the main roads and you don't come there by chance. However, a detour is worth it, because the town has managed to preserve and enhance its built heritage.

Discover Le Girouard

Emblematic monument of Girouard, the Chateau Gaillard is revealed in all its splendor to the visitor arriving via the Grosbreuil road. This miniature fortress, which looks like a fortified castle, is in reality a presbytery from the 19th^e century. We therefore better understand its location near the church.

From the gardens of Chateau Gaillard, the visitor can enjoy the view of the Ciboule Valley in which the small stream of the same name meanders which contributes to the bucolic aspect of the surrounding area.

Good to know

Today, Château Gaillard is the property of the municipality which restored it. The municipality of Girouard has chosen to install the post office and one of the 10 Network libraries des Achards, thus opting for a daily promotion of this little architectural gem.

The dovecote and the bread oven complete this original ensemble in the village. Located a few steps from Château Gaillard, they were restored in the 2010s. The bread oven returns to its original function during village festivals to bake bread. spoils and bread and to simmer the famous moths that the people of Girouard enjoy on toasted bread.

The Saint-Généreux church Since 1900, the current one has replaced the old church which had to be demolished due to its poor condition. It can be visited during the European Heritage Days. Another remarkable religious heritage: a hosanniere cross from 1607 which dominates the current cemetery. Made of granite and raised on a base of tombstones, it comes from the old cemetery which was located to the right of the church.

Hiking in Girouard

Created in 2015, the educational course Le P'tit Val Gaillard is located on the outskirts of the town. It evokes the importance of the hedge, called “bouésson”, in the Vendée landscape and the daily lives of our ancestors. By following the path, the walker passes in front of the caves, Lavarie fountain and its washhouse, the old communal scale et the lodge with a straw roof rebuilt in the old style. These are four witnesses to a past who complete the idyllic picture of a small rural town.

Hiking and mountain biking enthusiasts can choose between Chive Valley Trail of 10 km and the Celts Trail of 15,5 km. The two courses seduce with their rural aspect and small sunken paths. They have the particularity of including several ford crossings on the small Ciboule river when the weather permits.

For Geocaching, P'tit Val Gaillard route has 9 caches (including 2 multi-caches and 1 letterbox). It allows you to stroll through the heart of the green valley and admire the built heritage of this picturesque town.

Consult all our hiking trails