The municipality is first mentioned in 904 in an act of theabbey of Saint-Maixent as the Vicaria Calriacinse. The Poitevin Protestantism, anchored in Chauray from 1559, was the victim in the XNUMXth century of the Dragonnades like Jacques Chalmot, lord of the castle of Deffends, forced to accommodate the king's soldiers, then forced into exile in The Hague where he wrote his memoirs (1650 pages preserved in the library of the Société du Protestantisme Français). In the middle of the 600th century, there were 900 Calvinists out of XNUMX inhabitants. Protestant temple was built in 1854 from a plan drawn up by a Parisian architect. To recall this historical past, the municipal coat of arms borrows that of Jacques Chalmot.
Rural village yesterday, located at the top of a hill overlooking the Sèvre Niortaise and close to the A10 and the A83, the commune of Chauray is home to major national brands such as Mutuelles d'assurances and has become the second economic center of the Niort Chauray conurbation.
In the town, individual housing areas, local shops and an old town centre located around the town hall are developing. This sector, containing two buildings listed as Historic Monuments (Temple and Church), has been the subject of a comprehensive rehabilitation since the end of the 80s. The choice was made to group together in this old town centre all the construction programmes for cultural and administrative facilities: music school, exhibition and concert centre, media library, children's play area. It is also a range of public services and facilities: an aquatic centre, an early childhood structure, stadiums, a village hall, two sports halls, a network of urban buses.
The existing heritage, considered as a historical element, has therefore been rehabilitated and converted into public facilities. For more than three decades, Chauray has displayed its desire for modernity while preserving the charm of the countryside and its heritage.
Old Chauray thus retains its original simplicity and the circuit of Banks of Sèvre, reserved for walkers (pedestrians, cycles, riders, geocaching, cycle route V94, fishing passion trail) over 3,7 km in a rural and shaded setting: development of seven hectares of meadows in paths et enhancement of small heritage (medieval bridge, the Sablière washhouse, the Chemin Vieux, etc., mini-deer park). This development was financed by the 1% landscape and development from the construction of the A 83 (landscape enhancement, economic and tourist development of areas crossed by a motorway).
The current projects contribute to this ambition and aim at the continuous adaptation of the municipality to the future challenges of the city. Indeed, Chauray has nearly 7 inhabitants. In recent years, more than 289 housing units, a third of which are social housing units, have been built. In the spirit of a strong social mix, this urbanization is part of a real life project, a real city project. Thus, Chauray is a dynamic, local and pleasant city to live in.
The municipality is participating in the competition flowery houses. She is the holder of the label Town and Village welcoming vintage vehicles, from the label European city.
The city offers activities listed as “Unmissable” with two essentials, the gathering "There's a traffic jam in Chauray" (April/May), atmosphere of big holiday departures and traffic jams, and the Chauray des Foodtrucks Festival 79 (September), nationally referenced, large gathering of food trucks and culinary counters offering world cuisines and a diverse and highly appreciated musical program.
What to see in Chauray?
01 St. Peter's Church
His surname indicates a Carolingian creation. In the Middle Ages, its cure was appointed by the prior of Saint-Gelais. The church was undoubtedly remodeled at the end of the Middle Ages. Of the fragments of Gothic style architecture remain. During the Wars of Religion, it was partly destroyed by the Protestants and purchased by Pierre Corbin to the Revolution. In 1843, it was given to the town, then rebuilt in 1882, except for its bell tower. The monument was registered in 1991 and restored a year later. The paving is lowered close to its original level to reveal the base of the buttress columns of the apse. The building is composed of a single nave with three bays. The north chapel has a font arranged in such a way as to create a baptismal space. Its apse has a cul-de-four vault. The stained glass windows date from the end of the XNUMXth century. A roundel is added in the axial glass roof where the bust of Saint Peter with the keys, titular of the church, appears. A stone decorated with a cross, itself inscribed in a circle incised with saw teeth, is reused in the south wall, to the right of the entrance. Its origin is perhaps pre-Romanesque.
02 The Temple of Chauray
In 1844, the municipality allocated part of the Protestant cemetery for the construction of the building. Its construction was possible ten years later thanks to a municipal subscription, an extraordinary tax and a state subsidy. Its plan is in the shape of a clover. The temple was abandoned in 1970, but in 1988 the city obtained a financial commitment for its rehabilitation. Since 1989, the monument, managed by the municipality, has been a venue for exhibitions and concerts. Its restoration dates from 1990.
03. Geocaching Tèrra-Aventura: “Well-kept secrets of Sèvre”
Walking discovery trail of 4,5 km (more than 2 hours) in the company of Zeïdon, on the theme of Poitevin Protestantism and its clandestine assemblies. Possibility of borrowing it in a stroller!
Recommended parking before starting your adventure: N46°21.633'/W000°22.419'
For your safety, this circuit includes a 1 km round trip portion.
Market days
The small weekly markets of Chauray are a privileged place for meetings, conviviality, and sharing. Created in April 2021, the Sunday market has gradually transformed over the months. Today, it is 2 times for meetings to do your shopping under the hall, located in Espace Bernard Larcher, rue des Combes.
Friday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.Where: 113 Rue des Combes, 79180 Chauray
Contact : [email protected]
Other points of interest to see:
- Sèvre Niortaise Valley: medieval bridge, the Sablière washhouse, the Chemin Vieux, mini-deer park
- Protestant cemeteries
- The memorial André Bellot
