Saint-Maigrin brings together a walking trail, traces of brickmaking, mills and Cognac. During your stay, you can choose how to balance outdoor activity, architectural history, and wine and distillation themes. The walking trail offers the clearest guide to planning your time; buildings, production history and landscape each provide their own distinct focus.
Walking Trail and Architectural History
The yellow-marked Circuit de Chez les Bis is three kilometres long and takes about an hour. It starts at the sports ground, 800 metres north of the town centre. The route and approximate duration give you a clear timeframe for this part of your stay.
At Église Saint-Paul, you can distinguish several phases of construction. The church was completely rebuilt at its former site in the early 19th century; short 15th-century buttresses were retained. A bell tower dating from the late 19th century stands at the front of the nave. Its base forms an open porch. The rebuilding, older structural features and later bell tower make the architecture a historical subject in its own right.
In the forest of Saint-Maigrin stands a restored 19th-century brick kiln. Nearby are the ruins of a building that probably served the brickmakers. The privately owned Château de Saint-Maigrin is considered a 13th-century neo-Gothic château. It can be seen from the D152 departmental road towards Baignes-Sainte-Radegonde.
Mills and the History of Distillation
Moulin de Narrat is a working watermill with origins in the late 16th century. It includes a small ecomuseum and also produces flour and walnut oil. Here, the mill’s historic use sits alongside its present-day function.
The history of Cognac is also linked to former mill sites. In the hamlet of Foireau, the Distillerie d’eaux-de-vie de Cognac Martell was founded around 1893 on the site of an older watermill. The Roux family took another route into distilling: in 1930, they bought an estate in Saint-Maigrin and set up their first distillery there. This grew into the present-day Domaine Castel-Sablons. It is a family business in the canton of Archiac in the Charente-Maritime department; its work draws on the experience of several generations of winegrowers and distillers.
Domaine de Montizeau produces Cognac, Pineau and country wines. From 1 January 2026 to 31 December 2035, its offerings include tours of the cellars and distillery. Tastings, as well as guided group and individual tours, are available on request through the shop in Jonzac.
Winegrowing and Landscape
The Coteaux de Passignac are still used for winegrowing today. The winegrowers of Saint-Maigrin have worked for centuries to produce Cognac and to build its quality and reputation. Winegrowing and distillation are therefore part of a long local tradition, reflected both in the landscape and in the history of individual businesses.
The Étang de Saint-Maigrin adds a natural dimension to the cultural and production themes. This body of water covers 35 hectares and is home to numerous species of waterbirds. When choosing what to focus on, you can weigh up a walking trail with a set duration, architectural history, mills and distillation, and a landscape shaped by water.
Discover more destinations: Aumagne, Néré, Allas-Bocage, Saint-Cyr-du-Doret, La Couarde-Sur-Mer, Contré, Rouffignac, Ozillac
For the regional travel overview: Charente-Maritime.
