The best traffic-free bike rides around Avoise

This large church for a small village was built in 1880 according to the plans of the architect Beignet, then famous in Anjou. Constructed in the Neo-Gothic style characteristic of the period, it replaced the village's old Romanesque church. Dating from the 10th century, it was among the oldest in the department! In any case, Beignet had this large church built using tufa stone (a local and therefore economical material), quite typical of the 19th century, and partly constructed with materials from the old Romanesque church. The style of this period, long criticized, is becoming increasingly rare today as many examples are gradually being demolished. The church's bell tower is interesting with its four statues, which you can have fun identifying by their attributes.

The Church of Our Lady of Sablé-sur-Sarthe is believed to have been built in the 15th century. Extensively restored over the centuries, it now boasts a late 18th-century neo-Gothic style, which has helped to highlight its medieval architecture. During the third quarter of the 17th century, the church's high altar was restored, and at the end of the first quarter of the 18th century, three new bells were cast by workshops in Le Mans. Finally, in the mid-18th century, the bell tower was rebuilt, as we can still see it today.

The nave and bell tower were built in the 12th century. The choir and its ribbed vault decorated with painted sculptures were built in the following century, while the south chapel dates from the 16th century. The church underwent extensive renovations in the 19th century, when the nave and transept were rebuilt. A fire struck the church in 1900, leading to a further reconstruction of the nave, transept, sacristy, and the upper part of the bell tower. The choir of the building has been listed as a historic monument since December 9, 1926.

Notre-Dame-du-Pé shared its history with Anjou. Today, it is part of the Angevin Maine. In the Middle Ages, the parish was part of the Angevin seneschalship of La Flèche. Under the Ancien Régime, the commune was attached to the elected territory of La Flèche. During the French Revolution, the commune, like all those in the seneschalship of La Flèche, was attached to the new department of Sarthe. In 1801, during the Concordat, the parish was separated from the Diocese of Angers and transferred to that of Le Mans.

Now merged with Lézigné, this small town was formerly the seat of small lordships until the Revolution. Its location between the foothills of the Armorican Massif and the Parisian basin gives it a particular character.

The work of an artist

At the beginning of the 11th century it was a Benedictine abbey. It is worth visiting, but also crossing the river to admire it from its elevated position.

This Gothic mansion was started in earnest in 1490. It then gave up its military function and, like many other buildings of its type in the region, it became a manor house in the new style of Louis XII.