Posts Tagged ‘fresnay-sur-sarthe’

Alpes Mancelles

Posted in normandy, sights, visits, towns, tagged Alpes Mancelles, fresnay-sur-sarthe, St Ceneri on March 21, 2010 | Leave a Comment »

Alpes Mancelles

The “Alpes Mancelles” span the Normandy and Pays de Loire border, with picturesque villages, hills and little river valleys clad in woodland, heather and broom – and we are fortunate to have it on our own doorstep.

The Alpes Mancelles region begins just south of Alençon at Condé-sur-Sarthe and broadly follows the twists and turns of the Sarthe River Valley as far as Fresnay-sur-Sarthe. The two principal towns in between are St Céneri-le-Gérei and St Léonard des Bois.

The Alpes Mancelles by Car – #1

From La Basse Cour it is a short drive to either Alençon or Fresnay, from where you can follow the Sarthe valley the length of the Alpes Mancelles; if you choose to explore it this way make sure you take time to wander from the principal road that follows the valley to visit some of the quiet but charming little hamlets and villages along the way.

The Alpes Mancelles by Car – #2

Alternatively, we have devised a less direct driving tour which takes in our favourite sights in the Alpes Mancelles, and takes around a day to complete.

Our Circuit of the Alpes Mancelles includes visits to the panoramic viewing point atop Mont de Avaloirs – one of the highest points in western France – the Corniche du Pail hillcrest road, a visit to the Jardins de Mansonière gardens, a walk through the Vallée de Misère, the villages of Gesvres, St Pierre des Nids, St Céneri-le-Gérei, St Léonard des Bois, Sougé le Ganelon and Fresnay-sur-Sarthe.

Follow this link for details of the Alpes Mancelles Circuit.

The Alpes Mancelles by Canoe and Kayak on the Sarthe

Those who like messing about in boats can travel the river Sarthe through the Alpes Mancelles by canoe or kayak. See “Practical Information” or click the map for details.

Alpes Mancelles by Canoe-Kayak

Practical Information

Alpes Mancelles Tourist Office

19 Av de docteur Riant, Fresnay-sur-Sarthe

Tel. 02 43 33 28 04

http://www.ot-alpes-mancelles.com

The Tourist Office of the Alpes Mancelles at Fresnay-sur-Sarthe has a great stock of free walking route maps for all of the Alpes Mancelles region – we have many of them available for guests to borrow during their stay at La Basse Cour.

Canoe hire

CanoeLocations rents canoes from several locations and you can book online. Their locations at Moulins-le-Carbonnel or Fresnay-sur-Sarthe are only 16km away.

Access to the Alpes Mancelles from the B&B

The Alpes Mancelles are 10 to 20 minutes from our B&B in Lower Normandy, depending on where you like to begin your exploration.

View Larger Map

Are you interested in visiting châteaux and gardens in Southern Normandy and the upper Pays de la Loire? Then see also :

Château de Mayenne, Pays de la Loire

Gardens to Visit #1 – Jardin d’Atmosphère du Petit Bordeaux (Pays de la Loire)

Gardens to Visit #2 – Jardins de la Mansonière, St Céneri-le-Gerei (Normandy)

Gardens to Visit #3 – Château de Ballon (Pays de la Loire)

Gardens to Visit #4 – Jardin de la Pellerine (Pays de la Loire)

Gardens to Visit #5 – Château de Vendeuvre (Normandy)

Gardens to Visit #6 – Les Renaudies (Pays de la Loire)

… and many more!

These are just a few of the many places we can suggest to visit around this region, while keeping away from the usual tourist traps.

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Visit to Fresnay-sur-Sarthe, Alpes Mancelles, Pays de la Loire

Posted in chateau, towns, tagged chateau, fresnay-sur-sarthe, pays de la loire, sarthe on September 11, 2009 | Leave a Comment »

Fresnay-sur-Sarthe, Pays de la Loire

Video Tour of Fresnay-sur-Sarthe

Introduction to Fresnay-sur-Sarthe

If you’ve read other posts on the Visit Normandy-Pays de la Loire blog you’ll realise that we’re on the border of Normandy and Pays de la Loire, but the character of the towns in the north of the Pays de la Loire is not markedly different from the southern parts of Lower Normandy. This is true to such an extent that I frequently have to double-check to which region the places I visit belong!

Fresnay-sur-Sarthe (after checking) is in the Pays de la Loire but the architecture is very similar to Alençon, its Normandy neighbour, and they both sit astride the river Sarthe. Another thing these towns have in common is that if you drive straight through them on the main road, you would think they were nothing special. Wrong!! What you have to do each case is to get off the main road and into the old town – many people fail to do so, but that gives the smart visitor the opportunity to discover something special, off the beaten track.

Fresnay-sur-Sarthe is nowadays regarded as the capital of the Alpes Mancelles and is the home of the tourist office for that region (see related article on St Cenéri-le-Geréi).

History of Fresnay-sur-Sarthe

Fresnay-sur-Sarthe is centred around the remains of its castle and keep, whose vertiginous ramparts look down onto the river Sarthe and afford a wonderful panorama onto the weaving cottages, mill and Creusot bridge which crosses the Sarthe.

In the 6th Century a settlement by the name of Fraxinidum is recorded on the site (meaning the town of the ash trees) and a fortification was first built at Fresnay in 877.

A castle with stone ramparts was subsequently erected on the site in the 10th century under the reign of Charles le Chauve (“Bald King Charles”). The castle had an important strategic importance to protect the river crossing at Fresnay.

William the Conqueror twice captured the castle : first in 1063, then again in 1073. Young “Robert de Bellême”, who made a name for himself during the siege, was proclaimed as a knight by William.

In 1100, Henry the First attempted to unite the Maine and Anjou regions. The castle then became one of a chain of defences designed to protect the Maine against Norman (i.e. at that time Viking) attacks, and the city was placed under the protection of the Vicomte de Beaumont. The city was at that time called Fresnay-le-Vicomte. The city finally found a period of peace only at the beginning of the 14th Century.

The strategic importance of the Castle of Fresnay was once again highlighted during the 100 Years War. Successively occupied by the adventurers of Philippe de la Chèze in 1356 then captured by the British troops of Henry V in 1417, it came back into French hands thanks to Ambroise de Loré, future companion of Joan of Arc.

In 1420 the city was again taken by English and they occupied Fresnay for thirty years. As if these troubles were not enough, Fresnay-sur-Sarthe also suffered in the Wars of Religion ; in 1652, it was sacked by the Huguenots and from then on the castle started to fall into ruin.

From the Beginning of17th until the end of the 19th century, linen and hemp weaving were major industries for the town; hemp (“chanvre”) was used for sails. New housing was created in Fresnay in the “Bourg-Neuf” and the “Creusot” districts. Some weavers’ cottages still remain on the banks of the Sarthe, just downstream from the former mill at the Creusot Bridge and visible from the castle ramparts.

Practical Information

Tourist Office

19 Av de docteur Riant (near the crossroads in the high town)

Tel. 02 43 33 28 04

http://www.ot-alpes-mancelles.com

The Tourist Office of the Alpes Mancelles at Fresnay-sur-Sarthe can provide you with a route map to explore the old town – the video shows some of the sites along the route.

NB The church Notre Dame is open certain afternoons only from 15h30.

Access to Fresnay-sur-Sarthe from the B&B:

The town is 20 minutes (20km) from our B&B in Lower Normandy