The best traffic-free bike rides around Grez-En-Bouère

Parish Church of Saints Peter and Paul. The parish was once part of the archdeaconry of Sablé and was under the jurisdiction of the bishopric of Le Mans. It is only mentioned in texts from the 12th century onwards. The construction of the building, however, predates these first mentions and dates back to the first half of the 11th century. Most of the nave survives from this early church, whose south wall features a narrow, semicircular bay, dressed in red sandstone. The north wall partially collapsed in 1558 and was rebuilt shortly after. To the south, at the junction of the nave and the choir, the bell tower was added in the 12th century. It is a massive tower supported at the corners by buttresses; it is quadrangular in plan and built outside the building. At its summit, this tower features two levels of openings on each side: first, a relatively wide, double-arched bay, surmounted by two narrower, semicircular openings. It is covered with a saddleback roof, a feature found in several surrounding churches. Its eastern face is flanked by an apse housing a chapel dedicated to Saint Louis. A doorway in the tower's west wall, with a lintel carved with an ogee (opened in the late 15th or early 16th century), provides access from the outside. The choir, whose drip walls are built in line with the nave walls, was built in the 13th century on the site of a more modest choir. It features a flat chevet pierced by two narrow pointed-arch windows (blocked during the construction of the altarpiece). The same type of openings are found on its side walls. As with the nave, the main structure is made of sandstone rubble, but for this part, the walls are supported by buttresses with dressed stone glacis. These are joined at their summit by a very crude modillioned cornice, which is particularly visible on the north face. Internally, the building forms an elongated volume, with the choir and nave separated by a thick wall pierced by a double-rolled pointed arch: the nave and choir occupy two-thirds and one-third of the space, respectively. Despite some modest later alterations, the church retains its ancient appearance. The furnishings were largely renewed in the second half of the 18th century. The three limestone altarpieces, built in 1766 at the initiative of the priest Jacques-René Guitton de l'Écluse, are the work of an architect from Précigné (Sarthe) named Lalande. The main altarpiece, placed against the apse wall, is concave in shape. It comprises three bays and retains its ancient statuary: Saint Peter and Saint Paul, patron saints of the church, in the side niches, and Saint Anne and the Virgin Mary in the upper one. The center is occupied by a painting depicting the Adoration of the Magi, a copy after Rubens. The side altars, located at the entrance to the choir, are dedicated to the Virgin and Saint Julian. A wrought iron arch serves as a beam of glory: it is the work of a local marshal, Château. A few years later, in 1785, a new baptismal font was installed, as was a pulpit (Perret, carpenter). In 2004, the Sauvegarde de l'Art français (French Art Protection Agency) granted €4,000 in aid for the repair of the roof and the installation of a lightning rod.

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.

Magnificent viaduct, the largest in Mayenne, blends in very well with the landscape.

Atypical work of art (a little special all the same in this green setting on the banks of the Mayenne) with a staircase under the deck which allows you to cross the Mayenne.

It is the castle which gave its name to the town. Only the fortifications remain. These ramparts are more than a thousand years old and were built in the 11th century.

The Catholic Church - Saints Cyr and Julitte d'Argentré dates from Roman times and is dedicated to Saint Cyr and Saint Julitte, two martyrs of the early Christian church. You can admire the fresco in the vault above the main altar, which features geometric patterns from the 12th century. You can also admire the marble altarpieces from the 17th and 18th centuries, the clock from 1875, the paintings and stained glass windows from the 20th century. The church is open to visitors during Heritage Days which take place every year in September.

The Mayenne Viaduct is an impressive bridge that spans the Mayenne River for 300 meters and offers two ways to cross it: at road level with a bike or car, or at arch level with your feet. At the arch level, a wooden terrace located in the middle offers you a breathtaking view of the river and the surrounding landscape. You can also access the banks and towpath on both sides of the bridge, and enjoy nature and wildlife. The viaduct is part of the northern bypass of Château-Gontier, a charming town with a rich heritage that is worth visiting. Inaugurated in 2022, the viaduct is the largest road bridge in Mayenne.

Château-Gontier is a medieval gem. The banks of the Mayenne offer peaceful walks, while its lively weekly market brings residents together in a friendly atmosphere.