Lusignan to L’Isle Jourdain
Keep following the D741 through the town. The office de tourisme is off to your right next door to the mairie on the Place du Marché. You will be able to find everything you need in this busy little town. Château de Gençay, the buiding you saw as you arrived in the town, is the remains of a ruined medieval castle. Its high fortifications stand clear above the town and its thick walls and wide moat are still clearly visible. The castle played a significant role in the battle between English and French forces. It was besieged by the French commander, Bertrand du Guesclin, for three years before he finally entered the castle. The other significant building in Gençay is the elegantly restored 14th-century Château La Roche. Gençay to Usson du Poitou Follow the D741 through Gençay and turn left towards Confolens, (the sign reads D1 because the ‘7’ and ‘4’ have dropped off!). Go straight on at the roundabout and then after 3km turn left, signposted Brion. As you cross over the bridge there is a shelter and picnic table to the left, a good spot on a sunny day to relax and a dry spot to munch a sandwich if the weather is inclement.
viaducts and bridges L’Isle-Jourdain is dominated by its viaduct. It was built in 1881, opened to rail traffic in 1891 and closed in 1969. Its height and width, with graciously curving 20m-wide arches, make it a tourist attraction for the area. Bungee jumpers benefit from the viaduct’s 50m- high arches, leaping into the air then barely breaking the surface of the water before the elastic pulls them back up. You can also cycle on the viaduct, which forms part of a cycle network. The bridge that links the two sides of the town today is known as Pont St-Sylvain, and a bridge has existed at this point since the 11th-century. The bridge is named after St-Sylvain, a Christian martyr who, according to local legend, was put in a bag and thrown into the Vienne. He was later found in the village of Loubressac, meaning literally ‘the bag opens’. 103