Visit la mothe

Mothe Saint-Héray, chief town of canton of the Country of the Haut Val de Sèvre, was born from the unification at the XVth century, the boroughs of Saint-Héray and Mothe. One dated from the VI century and the other of the IX century.

This small town, today stretched on 2,5 km length of an axis parallel with the valley of Separates Niort, is located on a communal territory of 1492 ha. In its northern half it occupies the territory of an old lake, the lake Vauclair, missing with 5th and who is extended from Maixent Saint to Exoudun.

Readers and readers, visitors, it will be easy for you to discover the many attractions of our locality, while crossing the arboretum, by borrowing the streets of the bourgbias, the old church or while strolling in the district of the islands, the bridge of the tanneries, the alley of the chamois-leather factory unless you did not prefer to rest under foliations of the alley of the Park or to refresh you with the accesses of l' one of the many laundrettes which you will not fail to discover with the turning of a lane!

The orangery, built by Nicolas Tillon (Mason of Richelieu) and completed in 1634, belonged to the castle today disappeared following its dismantling at the XIX century and its sale hones by stone (1842).

Restored from 1997, decorated by a french garden and a channel, the Orangery is the theatre many cultural events. It can be also rented for family events.

To walk: Many ways and hiking trails: Ram of Chambrille, valley of Sèvre, forest of the Hermitain to be discovered with foot or in VTT. Topos-circuits with the Trade union of the Initative with the Mill of the Bridge l'Abbé. In particular the remarkable path which enables you to traverse with foot Mothe St Héray, of the Mill of the Bridge l'Abbé in the Orangery.

This mill which have finds trace as of the 12th century, is one of many the water mill which was installed on high Sèvre Niort. In 1809 at the time of the census of the mills they counted 13 mills on the commune of Mothe St Héray, 7 on the commune of Exoudun.

At 17th and 18th, these mills produced, starting from cultivated corns of great quality in the vicinity, a famous flour (minots).

The gathered flour in Bagnault and bagging was transported to back of the ass with the port of Niort. From there it was conveyed by boat with Marans and the La Rochelle. Until the 18th century the Mill l' Abbé reduced out of powder barks of oaks or chataigners. This tan was used for the tanning of the skins. It was transformed into mill with corn at the beginning of the 18th century. Increased to 19th it followed technological advances of flour-milling and was renovated by the miller Ludovic Gelin between 1911 and 1936. The Mill of the Pont Abbot, acquired by the commune, sits of the trade union d' initiative and museum, are remarkable. This is a visit to be recommended for small and large. Its installations, the large waterwheel, the grinding stones, the screening machines, the blutoirs, the rheostat and the centrifugal governor, are always in operating condition.