What is "barbezieux-saint-hilaire"

Barbezieux-Saint-Hilaire is a commune in the Charente department in southwestern France.

The commune of Barbezieux, with the neighbouring village of St Hilaire, forms the most important town in Southern Charente.

Barbezieux is a fortified hill town on the historic route south west from Paris – Poitiers to Bordeaux – Spain, now served by the N 10, which fortunately bypasses Barbezieux. The town rises from narrow streets of unspoilt, typically Charentaise buildings to the medieval chateau, which dominates the western approach. Barbezieux-Saint-Hilarie is the birthplace of world-record breaker pole vaulter Renaud Lavillenie.