Tusson

Visit Tusson, Poitou-Charentes

Tusson is a village situated north of Angouleme and to the north-west part of the Charente department of Poitou-Charentes. it falls on one of the less common pilgrim paths, that travel from tours to santiago de Compostella.

Exploring Tusson

A typical Charentais village, Tusson originally developed in early medieval times around the abbey that once stood here.

There are many attractive houses to admire from the renaissance period, with the house that once belonged to Marguerite d'Angouleme the most important - the building now houses the Maison du Patrimoine in Tusson, a small museum dedicated to local heritage.

Medieval garden

Next to the Maison du Patrimoine  you can visit the main attraction in the village, the 'medieval garden', or 'Monastic Garden of Tusson', created by a local group of enthusiasts who have set out to recreate as accurately as possible what a medieval garden would have been like.

Officially listed as one of France's 'remarkable gardens', the garden features four separate garden areas dedicated to vegetables, medicinal plants, fruits and ornamental plants. Interesting stone features such as a fountain and some ancient tombs also add to the appeal of the garden. The garden is closed in January, and an admission charge of three euros is payable.

From the garden you can also see a section of wall with a doorway that is all that remains of the original priory in Tusson.

Other sights in Tusson

Motivated perhaps by the medieval garden, the village also contains many individual gardens that can be seen clambering over walls and fences and show that the whole of Tusson take gardening very seriously!

Among other notable buildings are the 16th century Maison Pasquier and the Ferme robert (both in private ownership) and the gothic style Church of Saint-Jacques. The church, with its octagonal belltower, was originally built in the 13th century but suffered a great deal of damage during the Wars of Religion and was largely rebuilt in the 15th century.

Note: photo of Tusson medieval garden is copyright

See Poitou-Charentes and Charente (the region and department for Tusson) for more travel ideas...

Suggested places to visit near Tusson, France

Distances shown are direct, driving distances will be greater.

More suggestions: Angouleme 30km; La Rochefoucauld 33km; Saint-Simon 34km; Jarnac 34km; Melle 36km; Cognac 41km; Mouthiers-sur-Boeme 42km; Torsac 43km; Marthon 46km; Confolens 48km; Saint-Germain-de-Confolens 49km;

Tusson tourist information: sights and attractions nearby

Jardin monastique médiéval - remarkable garden (0km) : Eglise de Saint André (Ruffec) - religious monument (15km) : Parc et jardin de l’Abrègement - remarkable garden (19km) : Eglise de Saint Jean-Baptiste (Coulgens) - religious monument (22km) : Eglise de Genouillé (Genouille) - religious monument (28km) : Eglise de Saint Nicolas (Civray) - religious monument (29km) : Eglise de Saint Pierre (Saint-Pierre-d'Exideuil) - religious monument (29km) : Eglise de Saint-Brice (Saint-Mande-sur-Bredoire) - religious monument (30km) :

See more places and a map at places near Tusson