Soyaux, city of the spaces and the contrasts

Soyaux knew to preserve and emphasize its some patrimonial, natural and built richnesses.

The expert will appreciate the church of XII century recently restored, the fountains found with the subtle and heavy names of past, the laundrettes used by time, the green valleys, havens of peace, his old quarries stone become mushroom beds and well the others surprised in the detour a path or footpath.

The " country lane n°3 of the Lion in the Mill of Got" was, until the years 1968, narrow, sinuous and in bad condition. The municipality of the time widened and tarmaced "the way touristique".

The way of the Valley of Anguienne was inaugurated on September 26, 2006, you come to walk there and discover rare habitats equipped with a great biological and ecological richness.

Old army ground, the “Brandes de Soyaux” constitute the greatest site of moors of Charente (70 ha). These shrubby moors made up of heathers, gorses and brooms contain a very interesting biological diversity. They shelter a remarkable fauna which certain very rare species in Poitou-Charentes: raptors, sparrows, genettes, dormice…

The sector is also enriched by an exceptional flora like the laburnum sleep, the woody flax or various species of orchises…

 Equipped with a major ecological interest Brandes were however ignored general public. This is why ComAGA in partnership with the town of Soyaux, charged the center Nature “the Otter”, of the realization of a path of interpretation of 4,5 km in loop (2,5 hours of walk) in order to make it possible to the visitors to discover his richness in an original way.

In a wooded surface of 7 ha, with spaces more cleared up than the others, the old zoo of Soyaux (located at the exit of Soyaux, Périgueux direction) closed since the Nineties had been left for account during 10 years and profited only from one minimum maintenance.

Pits had been arranged initially besides from where was extracted from sand for the clothes industry of moulds for industry.

Opened with the public since July 13, 2007, this place of halt and spade screws (10 benches and 10 tables including 4 with plates lengthened for the people with reduced mobility) for the tourists on the way towards the Dordogne or of walk and relaxation for others, is called from now on “Surface of leisures of Brandes”.