Map - satellite view
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On the edge of the forest, at the heart of a picturesque bocage (semi-wooded countryside), you will find the Renaissance town of Foussais-Payré. The church is an undisputed treasure.
Its sculpted Norman door, representing scenes from biblical and daily life, is absolutely remarkable.
Opposite, the house of François Laurent dating from 1552 and l'auberge Ste-Catherine which was owned by the Viète family in the 16th Century, add still more to the character of Foussais. The beautifully restored 15thCentury Priory adjoining the church today houses the offices of the Town Hall. The whole ensemble is witness to the town's rich past, known in the Renaissance for its mills, draperies and tanneries. The village of Payré also possesses remarkable buildings and places of interest: the lime ovens, the Court, the priory, the Liberty tree, the fountain…
Numerous dwellings are scattered around the community; this alliance of heritage and protected environment, including the river Vendée which borders the commune for 16 kilometres, has allowed Fossais-Payré to join the circle of Petites Cités de Caractère. Since 1997, concerts have been given in the Norman Church and the Priory Garden, within the framework of Festival des Nuits Musicales in Romanesque Vendée.
 Historical Heritage Itinary
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