Chalais

This commune, made up of 7 hamlets, bears the name of the former parish. The village of Chalais is the smallest of the hamlets and boasts a superb 12th and 15th century church. The largest hamlets are on the heights of the village, home to numerous troglodytic houses. Dating from the 18th century, the Puy d’Ardanne windmill (visit by appointment) is an Angevin-style mill and crucible. It dominates the whole of the southern Loudunais region for dozens of kilometres, watching over the harvests as they spread to the green sands of the Scévolles forest. The Maison de Pays du Loudunais, built in the rural spirit of the region, is above all a place to discover the Loudunais heritage but also a showcase with its local produce, crafts, architectural and tourist treasures.