Aulnay

The commune of Aulnay is one of the smallest in the Pays Loudunais, covering no more than 8 km². This village offers a gentle transition between the forested sands of the Scévolles massif and the plains where the beautiful galuche stone reigns. The village was built in a place where alders must have abounded, the probable origin of the place name. In the 17th century, Aulnay was one of the breeding grounds for Acadia through its lord Charles de Menou d’Aulnay. Indeed, it was one of the recruiting grounds for the future settlers of New France. The chateau, bequeathed to him by his mother, can easily be admired from the road. The current structure of the village shows the importance of the central square, a place of sociability housing Saint-Sulpice church and its bell-wall, once surrounded by the cemetery.