A walk around Preuilly

This is a variation on one of our favorite walks. One of the points of interest is that you walk the full length of the old main street of Preuilly, from the Roman bridge, past the chateau, to the road to Martizay.

An view of Preuilly I am amazed we
haven't posted before*

Starting at the Mairie you head downhill toward the huge plane trees on Champ du Foire. This takes you past the junior school to one of the two footbridges across the Claise. From here you follow the bank of the Claise until you come to the gate into the caravan park.

Once you pass the toilet block there is a set of steps descending to the plan d'eau. This is where our Bastille day fireworks are held, as well as events like the annual brocante and town dinners. Walking past the lake on the plan d'eau you reach a road - turning left here will take you to what looks like a boat ramp - the little island in the river here is the buttress of a Roman bridge.

From here, you head uphill and continue uphill - through the arboretum (formerly Preuilly's graveyard) and its chapel, to the start of what was once Preuilly's main road. Take the left hand fork and walk past former shopfronts, now houses, many of them being lovingly restored.

Eventually you will reach the Poterne - the old gatehouse of the chateau, now the museum of the Preuilly Archeological Society, then from here it's downhill all the way. Once you reach the bottom of the hill turn right back towards the tower of the Abbaye. Here you have a choice to make: you can walk down past the mill, across the other footbridge across the Claise, then back along the main road; or continue past the Abbaye back to the Mairie.

The map is marked in yellow here.

Simon


*At least, I don't think we have, anyway.