Sommières-du-Clain brings together two themes: architectural heritage and nature. The Église Saint-Gaudent has Romanesque origins and later additions; the Domaine de Sommières-du-Clain is protected as a complex. The Clain, the Coteau de la Cueille and the Le Routain du Père Brochille circular trail add to the cultural points of interest. The town can therefore be understood through specific architectural features and a variety of natural attractions.
Église Saint-Gaudent and Domaine de Sommières-du-Clain
The Église Saint-Gaudent is a church with Romanesque origins and later additions. Its Romanesque apse has three round-arched openings; the larger central window is flanked on either side by two attached columns with hook capitals. A capital is the upper part of a column; the hook capitals provide another architectural detail alongside the round arches. The design can be viewed on several levels: three openings, an emphasized centre and the shape of the column tops. Together with the Romanesque origins and later additions, the church highlights both the history of the building as a whole and a close look at the apse.
The west façade of the Église Saint-Gaudent was listed as a historic monument by decree of 17 April 1935. The protected tomb slab “Dalle funéraire du coeur de Jean Rat” is also associated with the Église paroissiale Saint-Gaudent in Sommières-du-Clain. Alongside the church building, a named individual object is therefore also a cultural point of interest.
The Domaine de Sommières-du-Clain was listed as a historic monument by decree of 21 December 1988. The protected complex includes the château, moats, a bastioned fortification, railings, retaining walls, two courtyards of honour and outbuildings. Compared with the Église Saint-Gaudent, the scope of protection here is broader: for the church, it covers the west façade; for the Domaine, several parts of a complex. The protection decisions also date from different years: 1935 for the west façade and 1988 for the Domaine.
The Clain, Coteau de la Cueille and a circular trail
The Clain runs for approximately 11.1 km through Sommières-du-Clain. The Coteau de la Cueille is a type 1 ZNIEFF area and covers less than 1% of the commune. These figures describe two different measurements: a stretch of river through the commune and the share of its area occupied by a specific site. Less than 1% means less than one hundredth of the commune’s area. The river’s length and the site’s share of the area therefore provide different ways to measure the natural features of the town.
Another natural attraction is the Le Routain du Père Brochille circular trail. It passes through the communes of Château-Garnier, Sommières-du-Clain and St Romain. This trail is defined by its route through three communes, unlike the course of the river or the area covered by the Coteau. If you are planning the circular walk, check the current route beforehand.
Discover more destinations: Bignoux, Ternay, Saint-Gervais-les-Trois-Clochers, La Bussière, Bournand, Mouterre-Silly, Gençay, Lavausseau
For the wider travel overview: Vienne.
