MÉNIGOUTE ?
Every year, since 1985, the International Ornithological Film Festival has taken place in Ménigoute, small village in the heart of the POITOU-CHARENTES area.
Several years before, around this rural country, people gathered their forces and energy to realise projects around nature and the environnement.

The film festival, now at the very heart of these meetings, is considered as a national and even more significant event where associations come to meet a general public, local and public authorities open to engage in dialogue around environmental issues.
The Ménigoute Festival objective is double : enlighten and promote initiatives for a better knowledge of nature and of its best management, respectful of the environment ; to be a reference in terms of dialogue whenever environmental policies are concerned.
With the passing years, Ménigoute became the indispensable event, bringing together wildlife film makers and their fellow citizen in the awareness of the necessary nature conservation.
A wildlife film training institute is being created as an extension of the Festival in the brand new site of the "Jardin des oiseaux".


Ménigoute and the surroundings...
In the Ménigoute district or "canton," created in 1790, about 4500 inhabitants are living now in 11 rural municipalities whose Ménigoute is the main town (less than 900 inhabitants). The Greenwich meridian cuts right across the village, situated at the south of the Armorican system. See the map.

See the map

Ménigoute's name :

Ménigoute's name comes from "Manygoste" in the 1300's, then Menigouste, in 1324, Menigoute or Manigouste in 1328, Manigoste in 1492 and finally Ménigoute at the end of the XVIIIth




Historic heritage


- La Chapelle Jean Boucard
XVIth century : Jean Boucard Chapel, one of the last jewels of the Flamboyant style in Deux-Sèvres area. .



- La Croix hosannière
In the middle of the "place des cloîtres" it is a stone cross, center of an ancient churchyard.
A small sundial is visible on one of this cross sides.



- Château Boucard
XVth century castle, today shelters a rural traditions Museum.)


- Close to the parish church, an ancient roman church (XIth century) the first religious construction in Ménigoute.

À voir également : les extérieurs du premier édifice de Ménigoute : l'ancienne église romane du XIe siècle




Natural heritage

Magnificent landscapes, lakes, river Vonne, charming paths....
A bocage landscape where cattle breeding is the main farming resource.


Close to Ménigoute, Mouton-Village is the second word for Vasles, a village whose traditional sheep breeding is at the root of a development project.
Ménigoute is also part of the larger territory of Parthenay country of a famous cattle breed : the "Parthenaise" known for its excellent flesh.