The best walks and hikes around Sallertaine

Small village worth a detour, especially for its beautiful, perfectly preserved medieval church and the Rairé mill.

The Saint-Martin church is a 11th and 12th century church located in Sallertaine, France. It belongs to the diocese of Luçon. It is dedicated to Saint Martin. This church is the remnant of an old priory founded at the beginning of the 11th century, dependent on the abbey of Marmoutier. Some masonry from the primitive church remains in the walls. The current state of the building is the result of a major reconstruction carried out at the end of the 12th century. The church was consecrated in 1173 by the bishop of Poitiers. The vaulting of the crossing of the transept presents a unique curiosity in the West of France. Clearly seeking to imitate the so-called Plantagenet Gothic style, the master mason, who does not seem familiar with this new technique, created a Romanesque dome, sufficient in itself, which he adorned with ribs, without structural necessity, but which gives it an appearance evoking the Angevin vaults. Some elements of frescoes remain in the nave, which was once entirely covered, particularly an exceptional crucifixion where Christ still has his eyes open. Part of the nave was demolished. The church suffered damage in 1568 during the Wars of Religion. Major restorations took place from 1617 onwards. The narrow Romanesque windows were enlarged, the crossing is surmounted by a timber spire. Three altarpieces adorn the apse and the transepts, leading to the destruction of the south absidiole and the installation of the sacristy in the south one, separated from the transept by a wall supporting the new altar. Damaged during the revolution, becoming too narrow in the 19th century, it was replaced by a new parish church in 1906. It should then have been destroyed, but Father Grelier, an archaeology enthusiast, managed to have it classified as a historical monument in 1910 and 1912. However, the classification did not include the western end of the nave, which the municipality had demolished in 1915. https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancienne_%C3%A9glise_Saint-Martin_de_Sallertaine

The Saint-Martin church is an 11th and 12th century church located in Sallertaine, France[1]. It belongs to the diocese of Luçon. It is dedicated to Saint Martin. This church is the remainder of an old priory founded at the beginning of the 11th century, dependent on the abbey of Marmoutier. Some masonry from the primitive church remains in the walls. The current state of the building is the result of a major reconstruction carried out at the end of the 12th century. The church was consecrated in 1173 by the bishop of Poitiers. The vaulting of the crossing of the transept presents a unique curiosity in Western France. Clearly seeking to imitate the so-called Plantagenet Gothic style, the master mason, who does not seem familiar with this new technique, created a Romanesque dome, sufficient in itself, which he adorned with ribs, without structural necessity, but which gives it an appearance evoking the Angevin vaults. Some elements of frescoes remain in the nave, which was once entirely covered, particularly an exceptional crucifixion because Christ still has his eyes open. Part of the nave has been demolished. The church suffered damage in 1568 during the Wars of Religion. Major restorations took place from 1617. The narrow Romanesque windows were enlarged, the crossing is surmounted by a timber spire. Three altarpieces adorn the apse and the transepts, leading to the destruction of the south absidiole and the installation of the sacristy in the southern one, separated from the transept by a wall supporting the new altar. Damaged during the revolution, becoming too narrow in the 19th century, it was replaced by a new parish church in 1906. It should then have been destroyed, but Abbot Grelier, passionate about archaeology, managed to have it classified as a historical monument in 1910 and 1912. However, the classification only included the western end of the nave, which the municipality had demolished in 1915. https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancienne_%C3%A9glise_Saint-Martin_de_Sallertaine

Magnificent Romanesque church from the 11th and 12th centuries 😍

Beautiful little church in the middle of the historic town centre. The square in front of it offers a good starting point for hikes

Charming little village, recently ranked sixth in the "Favorite Village of the French 2024" competition. We will remember its almost thousand-year-old Romanesque church, its neo-classical town hall and many beautiful houses typical of the Vendée coast. Sallertaine was an island during Antiquity. It was only in the Middle Ages that the monks began to drain the sea to extract salt. It was during this period that Sallertaine developed economically and urbanistically. Many great hiking trails around the village, including the one that goes to the Rairé mill, not far from there.

Pleasant little garden, calm and very flowery. Ideal for a break if you visit Sallertaine and its region. Established on an old quarry, we understand that the old town of Sallertaine had been built on a limestone island in the middle of the marshes. Hence its island appearance in winter.

Beautiful 12th century Romanesque church.