Courbillac is a dispersed Charente commune rather than a single compact village: its everyday geography is made up of the main settlement and hamlets including Herpes, Le Bourg-des-Dames, Le Souterrain and Bel Air. The Tourtrat stream and gently worked fields give the area a rural scale, while fountains, church sites and farm buildings make short, unhurried stops more rewarding than a rushed checklist.
Population and administrative scope
INSEE's 2023 reference population, in force from 1 January 2026, is 725 people for the whole commune of Courbillac (code 16109). This is a municipal population figure, not a count for Herpes or any one hamlet. The Rouillacais community profile still displays 710, an older figure; for the present profile the newer dated INSEE series is used. Courbillac remains part of the Communauté de communes du Rouillacais, whose nearby service centre is Rouillac.
Two parish histories, one commune
The local historical account recalls that the territory once formed the parishes of Courbillac and Herpes. It dates Herpes's attachment to Courbillac to 1837, when Herpes ceased to be an independent commune; that date is given here as the local page's account. The same source records the seigneuries of La Vallade, La Courade and Pont d'Herpes, showing how landholding and parish life once organized this countryside. The account also recounts an important archaeological episode: Philippe Delamain excavated a sixth-century Frankish cemetery at Herpes in 1886.
A wider Rouillacais landscape study reports roughly 800 graves examined at the Herpes cemetery and notes that objects from the finds were dispersed among collections. Museum records catalogue Merovingian pieces attributed to Herpes, including a sixth-century brooch in the British Museum and a ring in the Louvre. These are documented objects with collection records; they should not be confused with local legend or taken to mean that the collections remain on view in Courbillac. The same landscape study describes a sixth-century baptismal font at Herpes and the parish church at Courbillac.
Fields, water and local economy
The Tourtrat crosses the commune, flowing more strongly in winter and sometimes drying in summer, according to the Rouillacais territory portrait. That study also records flood episodes in the 1980s. It calls an old route crossing the area a “voie romaine”; this is a local survey description rather than proof of a fully traced Roman road, so it is best treated cautiously. INSEE counted 39 economically active non-agricultural establishments in Courbillac in 2023. Construction accounted for 10, trade and related activities for 6, and specialised or administrative services for 8. Because agriculture is excluded from that table's field, the figure is not a full account of work in this rural commune.
Small heritage and practical stops
Courbillac's visitor interest is quiet and scattered: look for village churches, traditional Charentais buildings, fountains and the changing edges of the Tourtrat valley. In a resident questionnaire, respondents named the Fontaine Carrée picnic corner, Fontaine Coué and the shaded Rue de la Chaussée among places they liked. This was a local survey, not a guarantee of facilities or public access at every site. The community profile lists a mairie, postal agency and the Mareuil–Courbillac primary-school grouping. A reservation-based Mobil'27 service is listed for the Rouillacais, including Courbillac; check current eligibility, booking rules and times before relying on it.
Nearby routes and a slower itinerary
Rouillac is the practical nearby centre for broader services and visitor orientation. A worthwhile half-day extension is the Gallo-Roman site at Les Bouchauds in neighbouring Saint-Cybardeaux. Its local interpretation centre lists walking loops of 12.2, 16.2 and 16.9 kilometres around the site; these are neighbouring excursions, not trails claimed to begin in Courbillac. The Rouillacais tourism office also maintains a wider walking and cycling directory. Confirm route markings, access, transport reservations and opening hours before setting out, as seasonal schedules and ground conditions can change.
