Sainte Suzanne, Mayenne, Pays de la Loire

Medieval town of Sainte-Suzanne in the Mayenne

The wonderful little town of Sainte-Suzanne was brought to our attention over a year ago by some French guests who came across it whilst staying at our bed & breakfast – we were ashamed to confess that we had never heard of it, despite the fact it is only about 50km from us in the Mayenne (adjoining department in the Pays de la Loire).

It has taken us another year to actually visit it, which we did in mid-October – and now we wish we had done so earlier.  This fortified “cité médiévale” in the region known as “les Coëvrons” really is deserving of that old cliché “hidden treasure”.   Sainte Suzanne is wonderfully picturesque without being twee, well cared for, characterful and perched atop a rocky promontory  dominating the valley of the river Erve, 250 feet below.

Slideshow of Visit to Sainte Suzanne

History of Sainte-Suzanne

It is not difficult to see why this spot was chosen to build a major fortress, as its position gives it both natural defences and wide views over the surrounding countryside. Accordingly, the town of Sainte Suzanne has a rich military history.

Sainte-Suzanne Château

The castle keep (donjon) was built in the 11th century and Sainte Suzanne boasts it was the only town that successfully resisted an attack by William the Conqueror, who laid siege to it from 1083 to 1087.  During the prolonged siege, William built a huge military camp on the outskirts of the town, possibly taking advantage of an earlier Gallo-Roman earthworks; a reconstruction is on view in the town museum and the amazingly well-preserved remains can be seen at the site known as Camp de Beugy, 800m north of the town on the road to Assé-le-Bérenger.  It is also known as the “Camp des Anglais” -  King William and his army were regarded by this time as English, not Norman.

The town of Sainte-Suzanne remained impervious to attackers for another three centuries, until during the 100 Years War the castle fell into English hands for 14 years before being re-taken by the French Lord of Bueil.  From the 17th century onwards the town’s prosperity grew and in the eighteenth century it became an administrative centre for the region.  The city underwent another economic surge thanks to numerous paper, flour, wool and tanning mills powered by the river Erve and by the mid-19th century it had over 1 800 inhabitants; it returned to a primarily agricultural economy in the 20th century.

Visit Sainte-Suzanne

An audio-guide of Sainte Suzanne can be hired from the museum inside the château – the cost is a very reasonable 2€ per headset.

The castle ramparts and 11th century keep are open to the public free of charge;  entry to the logis (residence of the early 17th century) is 4€ for adults.  We found it very interesting, with some super models, religious artefacts, “son et lumière” and interactive displays in both French and English, themed on the history and development of the Mayenne. Opening hours:

• October to end of April : 09h30 to 12h30 and 13h30 to 17h30 daily except Monday
• May to September : 09h00 to 18h00 daily

Inside the town itself you can get a town map from the Tourist Office. Oddly, the Tourist office does not rent out the audio-guide.  Opening hours:

• October to Easter Mon – Sat 14h00 to 17h30
• Easter to September Mon – Sat 9h00 to 12h30 and 14h00 to 18h00, Sunday 14h00 to 18h00
• Public Holidays 10h00 to 12h30 and 14h00 to 18h00

Tel. : 02.43.01.43.60

Museum of the Auditoire

This was closed at the time of our visit in mid-October. Opening hours:

• April, May June and September: Saturday and Sunday 14h00 to 18h00
• July and August : daily 14h00 to 18h00

Other Sights near Sainte-Suzanne

There are signposted walks and cycle routes to explore the valleys round about the town. The walk up to the Tertre Ganne takes you to a superb vantage point on the hill opposite the town, and a great place for a picnic.

Sainte Suzanne from the Tertre Ganne

There are also guided walks, including one that sounds interesting – it explores the various watermills along the Erve.  Starts at the museum in the town at 2.45pm each Sunday from March to November.  We took a walk along part of the river unguided.

Mills along the River Erve

The “Camp des Anglais” is is 1 km away on the road to Assé le Béranger and is the site where William the Conqueror constructed a fortress during the siege of Sainte-Suzanne.  Also marked as “Camp de Beugy”,  the earthworks and defensive ditches are well preserved, and you can explore them on foot.

Camp de Beugy (Camp des Anglais)

Camp de Beugy

The “Dolmen des Erves” is 3 km away on the same road to Assé le Béranger.  This is the earliest proof of people living in this region and dates to 4500 BC.

Dolmen des Erves

“La Ferte-Clairbois” near Sainte-Suzanne is a reconstruction of a wooden medieval fort with towers, keep, drawbridge, and so on; Sundays from Easter to October it stages a storming of the “castle”, jousting and sword fighting. A “medieval banquet” can be taken by reservation in a nearby auberge (ask at the Tourist Office in Sainte Suzanne).

La Ferte-Clairbois

How to get there, where to stay near Sainte-Suzanne

Sainte-Suzanne is 55km (c. 50 minutes) away from our B&B on the Normandy-Pays de Loire border, driving via Sillé-le-Guillaume.

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Alençon – one of Lower Normandy’s best secrets

Shhhhhhh! Keep it quiet – for Alençon in Lower Normandy is barely known to foreign tourists, yet it is a delight for those who enjoy getting away from the usual tourist traps to see a bit of  “real” France: a little gem in Lower Normandy untainted by tacky tourist shops, but justly proud of its rich history, architecture, produce and traditions.

Many a motor sport fan passes Alençon en route to the Le Mans 24 Hours or the GP Motor Bike races, just 25 miles to the south of Alençon, but all that most of them see is the frankly boring and uninspiring Route Nationale (was the N138, now the D338) which bypasses the real town centre with its architecture dating from the Middle Ages to the 19th century.

Pity for them, because Alençon is a super little Normandy town still unspoilt by tourism, but with much to offer the discerning traveller. Our kind of place!!!

Nowadays Alençon is the capital of the Orne department in Lower Normandy: a small town of 30,000 inhabitants it retains many medieval buildings, as it was largely untouched by Allied bombing in the 2nd World War and was abandoned by the Germans before the Allied forces (under the French General Leclerc) arrived to liberate it in August 1943.

Being at the southern extremity of Normandy and away from the coast, the climate of the Pays d’Alençon is drier and warmer than that of the Normandy coast – in fact, Alençon is only a mile from the border with the Pays de la Loire, the region south of Normandy. The winters, however, are on average a few degrees colder than on the Normandy coast.

In the Middle Ages Alençon was the centre of power in western France for the Dukes of Alençon and until the late 19th century was famous for Alençon lace – justly recognised as the finest lace in the world, as well as the most expensive.  The Alençon Lace Museum/Musée des Beaux Arts has some excellent displays of lace making for those interested in Alençon lace.

This year the Alençon tourist office has initiated a tourist train which takes visitors around some of the main sights in the old town centre – our video is a compilation of sights along the train route and a few other photos that we have taken of Alençon at other times.

We took the train on Saturday 15th August, the Feast of the Assumption, which is a holiday – hence the town was very quiet.  However, we had an excellent cappucino each at the Café des Pietons before we took the train tour and the usual Saturday market in the town centre was well attended, as ever.

Our observations on the Alençon train tour:

1. The train is a good way to see the main sites and has a commentary in both English and French – price is just 3€ per person, excellent value.
2. Our driver was not the best in the world – as a result he did not synchronise the trip with the commentary. Ours was the last tour before lunch – ’nuff said, lunch is #1 priority for most French!
3. The trip was advertised at 45 minutes – when we took it it took 25 minutes – see (2) above!
4. Take the train if you’re in a hurry, otherwise do the circuit on foot – you can hire an audioguide (in English or French) from the tourist office for 3€, same price as the train trip, and have a better view of the sites along the route at your own pace.
5. The commentary provided on the audioguide can also be downloaded for free – but only in French – from this site http://www.audiovisit.com/.

Practical Information:

In 2009 the tourist train runs daily from 10th July until 13th September.

Tickets for the Alençon Tourist Train can be bought from the Tourist Office – not on the train itself.

The Tourist Office is located in the Maison d’Ozé, through the arch at the rear of the Place de la Magdelaine next to the Church of Notre Dame in the old Alençon town centre.  Telephone 02 33 80 66 33.

Departure point is Place Magdeleine near the Alençon Tourist Office EXCEPT for market days (Thursdays all day and Saturday mornings) when the train departs rue Saint Blaise, in front of the Renaissance restaurant (2-3 minutes on foot from the Alençon Tourist Office).

Train Times:

• 10h30
• 11h30

• 14h00
• 15h00
• 16h00
• 17h00
• 18h00

Market Days

The BIG market occupies both squares and side streets around the Alençon  Tourist Office on Thursdays; a smaller, but also very good, food and produce market takes place on Saturday mornings in the Place Magdeleine on the Grande Rue side of the Alençon Tourist Office, next to the Eglise Notre Dame.

Alençon town centre is 10 minutes from our B&B in Lower Normandy.

There is plenty of free parking in Place Foch, next to the Palais de Justice and Hotel de Ville (Town Hall). Elsewhere there  is lots of cheap pay-and-display parking in Alençon town centre.

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Bourg-le-Roi Medieval Fair

Bourg-le-Roi

On the fourth Sunday of June each year there is a medieval fair in the neighbouring village of Bourg-le-Roi, on the edge of the Alpes Mancelles, and just a couple of miles down the road from us.

This year the medieval fair falls on the 28th June and will feature dozens of craft and art stalls, jousting displays, a “medieval meal” and entertainment at midday, snack and drinks bars, jugglers, falconry displays, an archery stall, medieval music and more in the same theme.

Bourg le Roi is first documented as a dependance of the Le Mans monastery in 1154.  It was developed as a fortified garrison town by King Henri II Plantagenêt, as it occupied a strategic point at a crossroads on the Maine (Anjou) and Normandy border.  Hence it’s name “Bourg le Roi”.

The “cité” is still surrounded for on two sides by the original medieval ramparts, and two granite gateways also survive – the gates of Saint-Rémy and Saint-Mathurin. The remains of the château fort are largely ruins but can be visited on the hilltop inside the cité walls. The tower, walls and ditch defences can clearly be seen.

The village itself is very pretty and retains much of its medieval character because it has never been allowed to expand and develop outside the ramparts; it is now listed as a national site of historical interest.

There is a super little bistro and bar called “Le Bistrot de l’Olivier” in the village centre. The bar is open most days but the bistrot opens only Friday to Sunday lunchtime (including Friday and Saturday evenings).

Down in the gardens near the pond by the “lavoir” (former public washouse) is a good spot to picnic.

Bourg le Roi also has an interesting little museum and workshop specialising in Point de Beauvais needlework. From the 19th century until the 1960′s this was the main industry of the village, with a workshop at one time employing 60 embroiderers.  The embroidery museum is open from June to end of September at weekends from 15h00 to 18h30, and the same hours additionally Wednesday to Friday in July and August, featuring Point de Beauvais embroidery demonstrations.

Bourg-le-Roi is within pleasant walking distance from our B&B in Lower Normandy.

Along the road from Ancinnes to Bourg le Roi you will pass the Manoir de Couesmes – of which more another time.

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Eu – where did you say you were going?

The Town of Eu

The mayor of Eu, a town near Tréport on the coast of Upper Normandy, allegedly has a problem. He reckons people can’t find the place when they search for it in Google. Well, I don’t know what he was looking for, but I had no problems finding information on hotels etc. in Eu when I put in a few search terms.

This Google map shows where it is located and Googlemaps on Google UK and Google France had no problems finding it.

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Various newspaper articles (e.g. The Times) on this subject have claimed that “On a French search engine, you get the past participle of the verb to have, while on English sites an interminable list of European Union websites appears.” Never one to take a newspaper’s word for it, I searched “Eu” on Google France. And the first result on the page was … http://www.ville-eu.fr/ . However, the UK version of Google did do as the article suggests and came up with a load of “European Union” related suggestions.

But if someone is putting “Eu” into the search engine in the first place, what exactly is the point of their search? A simple modification of the search to ‘town of Eu’ or ‘hotels in Eu’ or ‘Tourist office Eu’ will give relevant results.

Methinks the mayor has another agenda. Perhaps his problem is that he doesn’t like being called Maire d’Eu, which sounds disconcertingly like “merde”.

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Alençon

At the southern end of the Normandy-Maine regional park, on the border of Normandy and the Pays de la Loire, Alençon is a town that we had passed by many times on holiday.  The day finally came when we took the time to turn off the national road from Rouen to Le Mans (this was in the days before the A28 was built) and visit the town centre.

With its picturesque old quarter, the magnificent church of Notre Dame, its markets, shops, parks, gardens and lace museum, Alençon was a revelation.  The view of the town from the national road had given no hint of the medieval architecture and small, winding back streets that we discovered.

Alençon is now our adopted “home town”.  Market days (the market is in the town centre next to the Notre Dame church and in the car park behind the Tourist Office)  are on Thursday and Saturday.  It’s two “chocolatiers artisanales”, the Maison Glatigny (pictured) and Pédro, are open all year round from Tuesday to Saturday.

In winter there are two skating rinks in Alençon; the main rink on the N12 Brittany road (next to the Parc Elan near Carrefour) is open from October to May and costs 5.50€ for adults including skate hire; but the town also installs a free rink in the glass-roofed Halle au Blé in the town centre – entry and skate hire are free.

A lot of people visit Alençon in the expectation that the famous “Alençon lace” will be on sale in the shops – it isn’t.  Nowadays, production is limited to the output from a small workshop next to the Musée des Beaux Arts, set up to preserve the tradition.  The only sales outlet is the reception desk of the museum which also houses a permanent exhibition of lace and lacemaking.  Be warned – the lace is breathtaking not only in its delicacy but also in its price!

Our bed and breakfast is just 10 minutes from Alençon centre.

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