The smallest municipality in the Niort Urban Community, located at the southwest tip of the canton of Beauvoir-sur-Niort, is named thus to distinguish it from that of Thorigné, close to Celles-sur-Belle. The town developed on the left bank of the Mignon river. In the Middle Ages, the lordship depended on the election of Saint-Jean-d'Angély, the generality of La Rochelle and the lordship of Frontenay, hence a triple belonging to the provinces of Saintonge, Aunis and Poitou, generator of complications. The buildings mainly date from the 19th century; the oldest being located near the old 18th century water mill. The absence of decoration on the facades and the simple frames reflect a modest habitat focused on agriculture. In 2019, the village merged with usseau et Priaries to form the new commune of Val du Mignon and becomes a delegated municipality whose capital is usseau.
Thorigny has at its heart Notre-Dame church and, counting the smallest number of inhabitants, forms a big family. Focused on agriculture and breeding, the village organizes each summer in his park farmers markets et its traditional country festival, the last weekend of August. It is also the starting point for four hiking and mountain biking tours.
What to see in Thorigny-sur-le-Mignon?
01. Beaulieu wood
This 73 hectare green lung, located to the west of the town, was identified in 2002 as a Natural Area of Ecological Interest in Fauna and Flora (ZNIEFF) by the Regional Scientific Council for Natural Heritage (CSRPN).
02. Notre-Dame church
The parish has been part of the diocese of Poitiers since 1802. Originally, it was included in that of Saintes and archpriest of Surgères. The church was built in 1041 by theabbey of Saint-Maixent. In the 14th century, a fee of three gold florins was paid to the bishop of Saintes. National property during the Revolution, the sanctuary is demolished by its purchaser and the parish attached to that of Belleville. A subscription launched by the inhabitants and a subsidy from the State resulted in 1829 in the blessing of the new church by the dean of Beauvoir-sur-Niort. In 1851, the priest was installed after the purchase of a presbytery. Since 1908, the parish has depended on Saint-Etienne-la-Cigogne. Two projects of young Franco-Polish volunteers created a fresco and three stained glass windows for the building, as well as the openwork portal of the cemetery depicting a rising sun (a nod to the sunflower, called sun, adorning the street signs and echoing with that of the church fresco).
03. The Ferme Giraud stopover lodge
Located near the old mill, theold farm appears on the Napoleonic land register from 1819. Its main building is made up of two elevation levels to the south corresponding to the living rooms; one to the north for the cellar and the barn. Its south facade has bolt holes with flight stones which testify to the presence of a dovecote. Inside, two fireplaces and a “vegetable garden” are preserved. Opposite, the outbuildings (animal shelter and bakery), of more recent construction, delimit the courtyard.
