Vouvant

Vouvant (French pronunciation: [vu.vɑ̃] ) is a commune in the department of Vendée, in the Pays de la Loire region in western France.

Vouvant is labelled as Les Plus Beaux Villages de France (since 1988), Petites Cités de Caractère, and the village has obtained two flowers out of five in the Concours des villes et villages fleuris .

It is the only remaining fortified town in the Vendée. Its inhabitants are called Vouvantais. Over 10% of the population of Vouvant is British owing to a gradual occupation or purchase of real estate by English families.

Several sites and monuments are present in Vouvant :

• Walled enclosure of the Lusignan (dated between the end of the 12th century and the beginning of the 13th century) : the Tour Mélusine (keep of the castle), the fortifications around the village, the Postern Gate, etc. The Tour Mélusine has been protected as a monument historique by the French Ministry of Culture since 1927. The city fortifications has been protected as a monument historique since 1984.
• Notre-Dame de l'Assomption Church, classed as a monument historique in 1840 by Prosper Mérimée, built from the 11th century under the leadership of William V, Duke of Aquitaine :
  • Théodelin's nave : 11th century ;
  • crypt : 11th century, modified in the 12th century and rebuilt during restoration works in 1882–1884 for the ceiling ;
  • square gable wall of the north portal, choir, apse and two small apses : second half of the 12th century ;
  • triangular gable wall of the north portal and Gothic sculptures : 1458–1464 ;
  • transept and the first three spans of the nave : wholly rebuilt during restoration works in 1882–1890.
• Medieval bridge (dated from the 13th-15th centuries for the oldest parts), protected as a monument historique since 1927.
• Reproduction of the Grotto of Lourdes , on the bank of the Mère river. Realized in 1958.
• Public washing place (19th century).
• Forest of Mervent-Vouvant, Vendée's largest forest (5,518 ha (13,640 acres)).

• Tour Mélusine
  Tour Mélusine
• Tour Mélusine
  Tour Mélusine
• Notre-Dame de l’Assomption church
  Notre-Dame de l’Assomption church
• North portal of the church
  North portal of the church
• Théodelin's nave
  Théodelin's nave
• Jardin du prieuré
  Jardin du prieuré
• Entrance of Vouvant
  Entrance of Vouvant
• Fortifications and the Mère river
  Fortifications and the Mère river
• Mère river, with the Tour Mélusine in the background
  Mère river, with the Tour Mélusine in the background
• Postern Gate
  Postern Gate
• Postern Gate
  Postern Gate
• View from the Postern Gate
  View from the Postern Gate
• Forest of Mervent-Vouvant
  Forest of Mervent-Vouvant
• The river, in the heart of the forest
  The river, in the heart of the forest

• Communes of the Vendée department

• Communes of Vendée
• Plus Beaux Villages de France
• Vendée geography stubs

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