Chauvigny, France
Self Catering Chauvigny Holiday Cottages and Gites to Rent
Chauvigny is found in the Vienne department in the Poitou-Charentes region in western France. Chauvigny is located 20 miles east of the department capital Poitiers. Chauvigny is situated overlooking the Vienne River and a small brook. It originally derived its wealth from the porcelain industry, and porcelain manufacturing continues here still on a small scale.
When you rent a holiday home in Chauvigny you’ll discover that the town is overlooked by a hill with several ruined castles along its ridge - the 'Château des Eveques (‘baronial chateau'), the 'Chateau d'Harcourt', the 'donjon de gouzon', and the chateau de Montleon. There are also ruins of a château of the bishops of Poitiers.
Chauvigny's crowning glory, however, is Eglise St Pierre. Work started on the church in 11th-century but it wasn't until the 12th-century when the nave was added that work was complete. This Roman structure boasts some interesting sculptures at the east end. It is a strange mix of styles on the outside and it is even stranger inside. The church is extremely light inside, unlike most churches and there are amazing carvings on the pillars showing a selection of extraordinarily gruesome scenes. Chauvigny also has a couple of great museums including an archaeological museum (musee d'ethnologie et d'archeologie).
A stay in a Holiday Gite in Chauvigny, also means a chance to see two interesting Romanesque churches, both restored in modern times. Near Chauvigny is the curious bone-cavern of Jioux, the entrance to which is fortified by large blocks of stone. When you stay in Chauvigny, do make time for a visit to the Abbey of St Savin which is listed as a World Heritage Site with UNESCO.
The town itself below is actually a thriving market town and when you stay in self catering accommodation in Chauvigny, know that Market day is Saturday.
To get to your Chauvigny Holiday Accommodation: Poitiers is the nearest railway station and it’s on the TGV Atlantique line between Paris and Bordeaux. The direct TGV puts Poitiers 1h40 from Paris' Gare Montparnasse. Poitiers - Biard Airport is located 2.4 kilometres (1.5 mi) west of Poitiers with Ryan air flights to London-Stansted and Birmingham. The A10 motorway goes through the Poitou Charentes region and enables access to many towns including Chatellerault, Poitiers, Niort and Saintes, and connecting the region to Bordeaux and Paris
The Poitou-Charentes region is renowned for having one of the most pleasant climates in France. Winters are really mild and thanks to the oceanic climate, summers are hot but not muggy. Poitou-Charentes benefits from 2,400 sunshine hours a year and is the hottest and sunniest place of the whole Atlantic coast.