Sciecq

Sitting on a promontory, the village, grouped around its church, is hemmed in by a wide loop of the Sèvre Niortaise. Its Latin name, Scissoe aquae, is linked to the existence of four ancient fords. Saziacum was mentioned in 989 in connection with a reconciliation between Duke William IV of Aquitaine and his wife Emma. The carved shell to the right of the old south door of the sanctuary is a reminder that Sciecq is located on one of the secondary routes of the Pilgrim's Way to Santiago de Compostela. In this natural setting, the landscape - a miniature blend of plain, marsh and hedged farmland - and the river heritage are an invitation to take refreshing country walks.

Worth seeing: Ste-Marie-Madeleine church (partly 12th century), Château des Loups (neo-Renaissance, private), mills, two wash-houses and a chain boat linking Sciecq to Château de Mursay.