Attractions and Places To See around Vernix - Top 18

At the end of the old town, in the extension of Place Daniel Huet, the old square was reorganized into three areas. To the south of the square, according to the plans of the former Bishop of Avranches, 21 trees with hawthorn stems were planted near a children's playground. Faithful to the plan of the archaeologist who excavated the site in the 1970s, the architect realized the nave of the cathedral with a low granite wall crowned with an oak crossbeam on which one could sit. The tombstone commemorating the penance of King Henri Plantagenêt was replaced in the place of the north portal. A triple arcade in Corten steel 6 meters high symbolizes the main gate of the disappeared building and two faceted masts 33 meters high, the towers. Like sentinels or a signal over the bay, these masts are also and above all enormous lightning rods, which the city did not have. The overhanging forecourt offers a breathtaking panoramic view of the bay and the Sée valley. Free access. https://www.wikimanche.fr/Square_Thomas-Becket_(Avranches)

The “Pont Gilbert - Passerelle de la Sée” is a pedestrian and bicycle bridge that connects Avranches and Marcey-les-Grèves. This bridge is located on the site of a historic bridge and has a ramp for a gentle climb and easy crossing to the other side of the river. It is a very useful bridge and recommended by cyclists. The bridge is also one of the highlights in the Vernix region.

The market in Avranches every Saturday is definitely worth a visit!

At the site of the historic bridge there is now a very useful pedestrian and cycle bridge with a ramp for gently climbing and crossing to the other side of the small river.

The old Notre-Dame des Champs church was located, as its name suggests, outside the city, to the south. This very simple church, known from a photo and a few engravings, dates from the end of the 17th century. Having become too small and work becoming necessary, the idea was accepted, around 1855, of constructing a new building, especially after the collapse of the Saint-André cathedral. Plans and an estimate were drawn up by the architect Nicolas Théberge, architect from La Manche and “child of the parish”. We also owe the latter other buildings in the neo-Gothic style such as Saint-Patrice du Teilleul in 1851, Saint-Hilaire-du-Harcouët in 1855, Saint-Pair de Sartilly or Sainte-Croix de Saint-Lô in 1860. However, it was not until April 12, 1863 to witness the laying of the first stone. The "neo-Gothic" style decided on by the architect involves the construction of a building with bold proportions that completely break with those of the modest church that we wish to replace. The means of the city and the parish were insufficient, especially since the reconstruction of Saint-Gervais had been very expensive, and in 1865 the mayor of Avranches and the archpriest traveled to Paris to seek help state finance. This long-requested aid was not finally granted until 1876 and the consecration of the church by Bishop Germain took place on November 13, 1892. The slow construction of the building was marred by many sometimes tragic events such as, in 1868, the death of a twenty-seven-year-old mason who fell from the height of the rose window where he was working. The architect Théberge, who died in 1866, was replaced by Cheftel. Delayed by the First World War, which mobilized all the workforce, the two towers of the facade were completed between 1926 and 1937; at this time, the large organs were also installed, the wind tunnel of which immediately benefited from electricity. In June 1944, the church was seriously damaged by a fire following the bombardment of the city. Restoration work lasted several years and the reopening to worship only took place in February 1962. The church is in the form of a nave with a façade with two towers (unfinished arrows), a projecting transept, and an ambulatory choir with an axial chapel (never built)1. The church had been provided with a set of windows signed Duhamel-Marette, destroyed by the bombings of 1944

Second main church in the center of Avranches, easily recognizable in the silhouette of the town, which retains on its right side a bas-relief in limestone from the 14th century. The bas-relief represents the massacre of the innocent saints by Leverrier. The church, classified as a Historic Monument in 1904, is the main point of a complex that was even higher more than a century ago. Between 1835 and 1853, the church supported a telegraphy antenna, more than 100 meters above sea level, taking advantage of the elevated location of the city. https://www.patrimoine-religieux.fr/eglises_edifices/50-Manche/50025-Avranches/186696-EgliseSaint-Saturnin

At the end of the old town, in the extension of Place Daniel Huet, the old square has been reorganized into three spaces. To the south of the square, as on the plans of the former bishop of Avranches, 21 trees, hawthorns on stems, have been planted near a children's play area. Faithful to the plan provided by the archaeologist who excavated the site in the 1970s, the architect materialized the nave of the cathedral with a low granite wall topped with an oak crosspiece on which to sit. The funerary slab, which commemorates the penance of King Henri Plantagenêt, has been replaced at the location of the north portal. A triple arcade in Corten steel 6 meters high symbolizes the main door of the building that has disappeared and two faceted masts of 33 meters, the towers. Like watchmen or a signal over the bay, these masts are also and above all formidable lightning rods which the city did not have. In front, overhanging, the forecourt offers a breathtaking panoramic view of the bay and the Sée valley. Free access. https://www.wikimanche.fr/Square_Thomas-Becket_(Avranches)

This former fortified castle was built in the 10th century to protect the city from Breton attacks. Located on a rock, it offers beautiful views over the bay of Mont-Saint-Michel and the Sée valley.