Boucle vélo n° 31 - Ruffec

3 routes are available: Family circuit: 5.1 km (very easy). Discovery circuit: 32 km (easy). Exploration circuit: 47 km (difficult). Built on a hill on the banks of the river Lien, Ruffec is a dynamic commercial town. Before the wheels start turning, don't miss a visit to the old town with its narrow streets, timber-framed houses and, on the banks of the Lien, the wash house and mill dominated by the remains of a castle. A diversion to the parish church of St André is necessary to admire its Romanesque façade illustrated with the theme of the ascension. Then on to Condac, a village situated on the Way of St James where the pilgrims crossed the Charente at the "Réjallant ford"; a detail: some of the houses in the village are marked with the crosses of St Andrew. In Bioussac, don't miss the park and garden of the château de l'Abrègement where the wood and trunks damaged by the 1999 storm have been transformed into original sculptures; also worth seeing is a querceraie where a young collection of more than 170 varieties of oak trees has been replanted And here appears the pretty flowered village of Nanteuil en Vallée, labelled "Petite Cité de Caractère", a stopover for pilgrims, in the heart of the Argentor valley. A visit is a must to discover the half-timbered houses, the St Jean fountain, the wash house, not forgetting the Benedictine abbey of Notre Dame de St Benoît, whose "treasure", a masterpiece of Romanesque art, was used to store the archives and precious objects of the monastery. In the heart of the village, discover the church of St Jean Baptiste which contains numerous pieces of furniture from the abbey. Then, as you go back on the circuit, enjoy this oasis of greenery and scents that are the gardens of Argentor. In Poursac, a shaded picnic area awaits you on the banks of the Argentor. Next to it is a wash-house. As an extension of the church square, admire the restored bread oven Before returning to Ruffec, make a refreshing stop at Réjallant, a leisure and recreation area on the banks of the Charente, with its archipelago of islands linked by footbridges.