RoutesBike touring routes & trailsFranceCentre-Val de LoireChinonMaillé
Le Grand Atelier – Entrée de Chatellerault loop from Maillé
RoutesBike touring routes & trailsFranceCentre-Val de LoireChinonMaillé
Le Grand Atelier – Entrée de Chatellerault loop from Maillé
Moderate
4.2
(19)
81
riders
Le Grand Atelier – Entrée de Chatellerault loop from Maillé
04:05
70.5km
260m
Cycling
Moderate bike ride. Good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels. The starting point of the route is accessible with public transport.
Last updated: August 14, 2026
Tips
Cycling is not permitted along parts of this route
After 35.3 km for 53 m
After 36.3 km for 149 m
Waypoints
A
Start point
Train Station
1
11.0 km
Camino de Santiago distance sign
Highlight • Other
2
12.8 km
Kerk saint Vincent
Highlight • Other
Antogny de Tillac also has a beautiful church
Translated by Google •
Tip by
3
22.4 km
Church of Vaux-sur-Vienne
Highlight • Religious Site
The oldest part of the church dates from the 12th century. The apse (the ambulatory) and the bell tower have been recognized as a historical monument since 1914.
Showing Translation
Tip by
4
34.6 km
Henri IV Bridge
Highlight • Other
The Henri IV bridge of Châtellerault: a history of nearly 1,000 years
The Henri IV bridge is one of Châtellerault's emblematic monuments. It crosses the Vienne river near its confluence with the Envigne and is today a remarkable work of the Renaissance.
🏰 Before the current bridge
The existence of a bridge in Châtellerault is attested as early as the 11th century, around 1065, and again in 1120. It is said to have been initially linked to an old ford allowing crossing the Vienne.
In the Middle Ages, several structures followed one another. A stone bridge is said to have been built in the 12th century, parallel to the development of the fortified district of Châteauneuf on the left bank.
Around 1350, during the Hundred Years' War, the crossing was fortified with towers placed at the ends of the bridge.
In the 16th century, the bridge was badly damaged. A major flood of the Vienne in 1556 notably destroyed the old wooden structure. King Henry II then considered rebuilding it in stone, but his accidental death in 1559 interrupted the project.
👑 The construction of the current bridge
It was finally under Charles IX, then Henry III, that the project for a new large stone bridge was relaunched around 1564-1565, at the request of the inhabitants.
The construction would be extraordinarily long: over forty years, from 1565 to 1609. Four architects succeeded each other in managing the site, including members of the famous Du Cerceau family, great architects of the Renaissance.
The site was finally completed under Henry IV, with the decisive intervention of Sully, his superintendent of buildings and chief surveyor of France.
Henry IV himself came to Châtellerault in 1606, while the bridge was not yet finished. It would be delivered in 1609, a year before the king's death.
It is therefore important to specify that the bridge was not built "by Henry IV": it was started under Charles IX and completed during his reign.
Why does it bear his name?
It is even an interesting peculiarity: for several centuries, it was not called "Henri IV bridge".
It is found under the names:
-Pont-Neuf
-Grands-Ponts
-Bridge of Châtellerault
-then in the 19th century Pont Sully.
-It was only around 1900 that it definitively took the name of Henri IV bridge.
🏗️ An exceptional structure
The bridge measures approximately 150 m in length and over 21 m in width. It consists of large stone arches.
It has a very remarkable feature: two powerful round towers with conical roofs frame the entrance to the bridge on the left bank, on the Châteauneuf side.
These towers give the bridge its almost "fortified" appearance. However, contrary to what one might think, they were not essentially military structures. They could notably be used to control the entrance to the town, especially during periods of unrest or epidemics.
The towers formerly located at the other end, on the town side, have now disappeared.
⚔️ The bridge during the Second World War
The bridge also played a dramatic role in August 1944.
As German troops were withdrawing, the bridge was threatened with destruction. On August 31 and September 1, 1944, the action of police commissioner and FFI lieutenant Charles Bichat, as well as the negotiations of sub-prefect Pierre-Marcel Wiltzer, prevented its destruction.
This is a particularly important episode in the contemporary history of the monument.
🏛️ Historic Monument
The Henri IV bridge has been classified as a historic monument since 1913.
Today it belongs to two owners:
-the Department of Vienne for the bridge, arches, and roadway;
-the City of Châtellerault for the two towers.
🔨 The major recent restoration
An in-depth diagnosis carried out in 2017 revealed the importance of the necessary work.
A first phase of restoration was launched in 2022: waterproofing of the deck, restoration of the buried parts, and then progressive restoration of the arches.
After 16 months of work, the bridge was reopened to traffic on April 21, 2023, and the work was officially inaugurated on May 27, 2023.
The overall cost of restoring the masonry had been estimated at over 7.5 million euros including tax, to which were added the works concerning the roadway.
A particularly interesting architectural detail
The Henri IV bridge belongs to the same generation of structures as the Pont-Neuf in Paris and the Pont-Neuf in Toulouse. However, it has a remarkable characteristic: great regularity and highly advanced architectural symmetry, with particularly sophisticated stonework.
The Henri IV bridge is one of Châtellerault's emblematic monuments. It crosses the Vienne river near its confluence with the Envigne and is today a remarkable work of the Renaissance.
🏰 Before the current bridge
The existence of a bridge in Châtellerault is attested as early as the 11th century, around 1065, and again in 1120. It is said to have been initially linked to an old ford allowing crossing the Vienne.
In the Middle Ages, several structures followed one another. A stone bridge is said to have been built in the 12th century, parallel to the development of the fortified district of Châteauneuf on the left bank.
Around 1350, during the Hundred Years' War, the crossing was fortified with towers placed at the ends of the bridge.
In the 16th century, the bridge was badly damaged. A major flood of the Vienne in 1556 notably destroyed the old wooden structure. King Henry II then considered rebuilding it in stone, but his accidental death in 1559 interrupted the project.
👑 The construction of the current bridge
It was finally under Charles IX, then Henry III, that the project for a new large stone bridge was relaunched around 1564-1565, at the request of the inhabitants.
The construction would be extraordinarily long: over forty years, from 1565 to 1609. Four architects succeeded each other in managing the site, including members of the famous Du Cerceau family, great architects of the Renaissance.
The site was finally completed under Henry IV, with the decisive intervention of Sully, his superintendent of buildings and chief surveyor of France.
Henry IV himself came to Châtellerault in 1606, while the bridge was not yet finished. It would be delivered in 1609, a year before the king's death.
It is therefore important to specify that the bridge was not built "by Henry IV": it was started under Charles IX and completed during his reign.
Why does it bear his name?
It is even an interesting peculiarity: for several centuries, it was not called "Henri IV bridge".
It is found under the names:
-Pont-Neuf
-Grands-Ponts
-Bridge of Châtellerault
-then in the 19th century Pont Sully.
-It was only around 1900 that it definitively took the name of Henri IV bridge.
🏗️ An exceptional structure
The bridge measures approximately 150 m in length and over 21 m in width. It consists of large stone arches.
It has a very remarkable feature: two powerful round towers with conical roofs frame the entrance to the bridge on the left bank, on the Châteauneuf side.
These towers give the bridge its almost "fortified" appearance. However, contrary to what one might think, they were not essentially military structures. They could notably be used to control the entrance to the town, especially during periods of unrest or epidemics.
The towers formerly located at the other end, on the town side, have now disappeared.
⚔️ The bridge during the Second World War
The bridge also played a dramatic role in August 1944.
As German troops were withdrawing, the bridge was threatened with destruction. On August 31 and September 1, 1944, the action of police commissioner and FFI lieutenant Charles Bichat, as well as the negotiations of sub-prefect Pierre-Marcel Wiltzer, prevented its destruction.
This is a particularly important episode in the contemporary history of the monument.
🏛️ Historic Monument
The Henri IV bridge has been classified as a historic monument since 1913.
Today it belongs to two owners:
-the Department of Vienne for the bridge, arches, and roadway;
-the City of Châtellerault for the two towers.
🔨 The major recent restoration
An in-depth diagnosis carried out in 2017 revealed the importance of the necessary work.
A first phase of restoration was launched in 2022: waterproofing of the deck, restoration of the buried parts, and then progressive restoration of the arches.
After 16 months of work, the bridge was reopened to traffic on April 21, 2023, and the work was officially inaugurated on May 27, 2023.
The overall cost of restoring the masonry had been estimated at over 7.5 million euros including tax, to which were added the works concerning the roadway.
A particularly interesting architectural detail
The Henri IV bridge belongs to the same generation of structures as the Pont-Neuf in Paris and the Pont-Neuf in Toulouse. However, it has a remarkable characteristic: great regularity and highly advanced architectural symmetry, with particularly sophisticated stonework.
Showing Translation
Tip by
5
35.2 km
Le Grand Atelier
Highlight • Museum
Car, motorcycle and bicycle museum, skate park, belvedere, boat rides, National Circus School (renowned circus baccalaureate training).
Translated by Google •
Tip by
6
35.8 km
Entrée de Chatellerault
Highlight • Other
The "Tours" at the beginning of the Henri IV bridge in Châtellerault are indeed a historic complex linked to the city's old fortifications. However, they must be distinguished from the three brick towers of the former Weapons Factory.
The towers are located at the end of the Henri IV bridge, on the town side, and are a remnant of the defensive system that protected the crossing of the Vienne.
Two round towers remain, on the Châteauneuf side. They once framed a monumental central pavilion, which may explain the name or the impression of a set of three towers.
🏰 The history of the Henri IV bridge towers
1. Towers already existed before the current bridge
The crossing of the Vienne at Châtellerault is very old. In the Middle Ages, the bridge had a major strategic and economic function.
At the end of the 15th century, a document already mentions two towers built on the Châteauneuf side and connected by a vault or a central structure. They were preceded by a drawbridge. It was therefore a true monumental gate giving access to the bridge.
🏛️ But there was much more than the two current towers
This is probably the point that interests us.
Originally, the entrance to the bridge on the Châteauneuf side comprised:
- a round tower to the north;
- a round tower to the south;
between them, a central pavilion with - a monumental gate;
- and a drawbridge allowing access to be closed.
The central pavilion was demolished in 1824. The two towers, however, were preserved. Recent archaeological research has indeed made it possible to find the foundations of the central pavilion.
🔎 And there were also two other towers!
The bridge was designed in a much more monumental way than we see today.
At the other end of the bridge, on the town side, there were also two square towers. They disappeared later, notably because they hindered traffic.
So originally there were four towers, two at each end, to which the central pavilion on the Châteauneuf side was added.
📷 A particularly interesting old photograph
The Ministry of Culture holds an old photograph titled "Tour d’entrée" (Entrance Tower), taken by Georges-Louis Arlaud (1869-1944). It shows the complex at a time when both towers still existed with their ancient appearance.
See the old photograph from the Ministry of Culture
pop.culture.gouv.fr/notice/memoire/APHF002200?utm_source=chatgpt.com
And here is an old postcard of the southern entrance tower, which allows us to see the towers at the beginning of the 20th century.
geneanet.org/cartes-postales/view/7912977
📍 What can be seen today
The two current towers are impressive: cylindrical stone towers, topped with conical slate roofs. They belong to the City of Châtellerault, while the bridge itself is under the jurisdiction of the Department of Vienne.
Interesting point: contrary to what their military appearance might suggest, these towers did not primarily have a military defense function. They were notably used for controlling entrances and, at certain periods, for sanitary control or the collection of passage tolls.
The towers are located at the end of the Henri IV bridge, on the town side, and are a remnant of the defensive system that protected the crossing of the Vienne.
Two round towers remain, on the Châteauneuf side. They once framed a monumental central pavilion, which may explain the name or the impression of a set of three towers.
🏰 The history of the Henri IV bridge towers
1. Towers already existed before the current bridge
The crossing of the Vienne at Châtellerault is very old. In the Middle Ages, the bridge had a major strategic and economic function.
At the end of the 15th century, a document already mentions two towers built on the Châteauneuf side and connected by a vault or a central structure. They were preceded by a drawbridge. It was therefore a true monumental gate giving access to the bridge.
🏛️ But there was much more than the two current towers
This is probably the point that interests us.
Originally, the entrance to the bridge on the Châteauneuf side comprised:
- a round tower to the north;
- a round tower to the south;
between them, a central pavilion with - a monumental gate;
- and a drawbridge allowing access to be closed.
The central pavilion was demolished in 1824. The two towers, however, were preserved. Recent archaeological research has indeed made it possible to find the foundations of the central pavilion.
🔎 And there were also two other towers!
The bridge was designed in a much more monumental way than we see today.
At the other end of the bridge, on the town side, there were also two square towers. They disappeared later, notably because they hindered traffic.
So originally there were four towers, two at each end, to which the central pavilion on the Châteauneuf side was added.
📷 A particularly interesting old photograph
The Ministry of Culture holds an old photograph titled "Tour d’entrée" (Entrance Tower), taken by Georges-Louis Arlaud (1869-1944). It shows the complex at a time when both towers still existed with their ancient appearance.
See the old photograph from the Ministry of Culture
pop.culture.gouv.fr/notice/memoire/APHF002200?utm_source=chatgpt.com
And here is an old postcard of the southern entrance tower, which allows us to see the towers at the beginning of the 20th century.
geneanet.org/cartes-postales/view/7912977
📍 What can be seen today
The two current towers are impressive: cylindrical stone towers, topped with conical slate roofs. They belong to the City of Châtellerault, while the bridge itself is under the jurisdiction of the Department of Vienne.
Interesting point: contrary to what their military appearance might suggest, these towers did not primarily have a military defense function. They were notably used for controlling entrances and, at certain periods, for sanitary control or the collection of passage tolls.
Showing Translation
Tip by
7
36.5 km
Châtellerault
Highlight • Settlement
Châtellerault is the 2nd city of the department of Vienne, behind Poitiers. With 35,000 inhabitants, the city was home to a very large arms factory which closed in 1968. Many things to see: the Targé castle, the Manu site, the bridges over the Vienne and the guinguettes on the banks of the river. 'water...
Translated by Google •
Tip by
B
70.5 km
End point
Train Station
Way Types & Surfaces
Way Types
57.6 km
7.43 km
5.17 km
239 m
133 m
< 100 m
Surfaces
64.9 km
5.41 km
249 m
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