Discovering the Maison de la Paix in Villesalem

Depart from the town of Journet, latitude 46.5057772 (N 46° 30’ 21”), longitude 1.0038543 (E 1° 0’ 14”)

• The

lime kilns> Near the path, take a small path on the left to see the old lime kilns. Liming was already practiced by the Romans, but it was in the 19th century that lime was used to amend the very acidic brandy lands of the Trimouillais.

• This is the case at Ris where Mr. de Lépinay has a series of 4 ovens built to enhance the 1300 hectares of his property.

• Prieuré de Villesalem

• l is located in the countryside to the east of the Vienne department. It is a strong heritage of the Country of art and history of the Montmorillonnais Country. Location
• In 1962, thanks to the mobilization of the "Friends of Villesalem", the State began the rehabilitation of the priority complex.
• In the 12th century, the architect of the church adopted a regular plan very common in Poitou. In the Latin cross, the church has a nave with five bays and two fairly narrow side aisles, a projecting transept with oriented apsidioles and a semicircular choir preceded by a straight bay.
• The bedside shows very harmonious round voumes. During restorations, the Chief Architect of Historic Monuments decides to eliminate the transformations undergone by the church over the centuries. The intention is then to find the Romance volumes.
• The stonemasons reconstruct the upper part of the side walls on which the new vault of the nave rests; at the bedside the "barn" doors are walled up (the church was used in the 19th century as an agricultural building).
• Romanesque sculpture is abundantly present outside the church.
• The "Kings" portal opens to the north and develops in a semicircular arch to the top of the wall.
• At the base, the entrance portal is adorned with radiating keystone arches where the artist has sculpted crowned heads. The western facade is tripartite and brings together a profusion of Romanesque sculptures of great quality. This decor invades the first two levels while the triangular gable remains sober. Animal and vegetable themes (foliage, palmettes) mingle with human representations (acrobats), inspired by the fanciful observation of nature, manuscripts, Gallo remains. -romains from Poitou (bucrâne) as the imagination of the sculptor (mermaid, grimacing masks)...
• Following the destruction due to wars, the nuns need a new building to house the reconstitutes. In the second half of the 17th century, the conventual building will rise to the south-east of the facade, in order to communicate with the mother prioress's accommodation previously fitted out in the first bays of the church.
• As a result, a third of the Romanesque facade is obscured. The geometric and regular lines of classical architecture define the spans and the three levels. These are open with French windows on the ground floor and large windows on the upper floors. Curved eardrums crown the two slightly projecting side pavilions.
• Inside, several elements bear witness to monastic life in the classical period and to the social status of the nuns and young girls who lived there: rooms with decorated fireplaces, lounges, the tower room...
• The interior restoration of this classic building will be completed when its destination is chosen.