Discover Beaucé

Beaucé brings together routes along the Couesnon and historic buildings that tell different chapters of the town’s history. This gives you two clear areas to focus on when planning your trip: a walk through the countryside and insights into the architecture and former uses of buildings. Which of these appeals to you most can help you decide whether Beaucé is the right destination for you.

Walking routes and scenery

A circular route associated with Beaucé follows a Voie Verte, runs alongside the Couesnon and leads to the landscaped pond at Vertes Rives. The river, route and pond are the main points of interest along the way. There is also the Circuit de Niche Coucou, an 11-kilometre, moderately challenging walking trail in Beaucé. Its length and difficulty rating give you a useful guide when planning a walk.

The Circuit de Niche Coucou passes several streams that feed into the Couesnon. It also includes a high-level path with views over the Fougères basin. From the Niche Coucou viewpoint, panoramic views extend across the Couesnon catchment area. This offers two distinct perspectives on the landscape: views over the Fougères basin and across the river’s catchment area. Niche Coucou is also considered a stargazing spot; whether conditions allow for stargazing depends on the weather.

Parc de loisirs des Vertes Rives

Parc de loisirs des Vertes Rives is in Beaucé and offers a range of activities and facilities: a play area for toddlers, a zip line, a pyramid and an obstacle course. There is also a covered picnic area and opportunities for fishing. So this spot offers both play facilities and a place to take a break outdoors.

The park is accessible to people with reduced mobility and to pushchairs. If accessibility is important for your plans, check the details before your visit. The facilities listed may also change.

Saint-Martin Church

Saint-Martin Church dates from the 12th century and was rebuilt in the 17th century. Its ground plan is in the shape of a Latin cross, and two small Romanesque window openings have been preserved. These features reflect different phases in the church’s history: its early origins and its later alterations.

The furnishings also offer a close-up look at the building’s history. Inside the church are 15th-century granite baptismal fonts decorated with trefoil arcades. The fonts have been listed as a Monument historique (MH) since 1907. For those interested in details beyond the building’s date, the church’s furnishings offer examples of decorative craftsmanship alongside its architectural form.

Manor houses and architectural styles

The earliest mentions of Manoir de la Chaudronnerais date from the 13th century. However, the surviving estate includes buildings whose oldest sections date from the 17th century. The early reference to the manor and the dating of the oldest surviving parts of the buildings therefore refer to two different points in time.

Manoir de la Soinière is one of the oldest buildings in Beaucé. One of its doors has mouldings characteristic of the 15th century. Inside, three large fireplaces with features dating from the 15th and 16th centuries have been preserved. The door and fireplaces point to different architectural details and periods.

The village of Haut Patrion is also home to the former presbytery known as the “logis des demi-boulets”, built in the late 16th century. It has a round-arched doorway with a double roll-moulding. The window decorations depict a chalice and a paten. The former presbytery’s name and architectural details make it a distinctive feature of Beaucé’s architectural history.

Historical uses and origins

Until 1988, the Lulaguerre farm was the agricultural estate of the Hôtel-Dieu, now the Fougères hospital. All the farm’s milk production was destined for the hospital. This connection describes the farm’s former agricultural use and the purpose of its milk production.

The gate at Beaucé cemetery also has a former use: it stood at the entrance to a former outbuilding of the Fougères artillery barracks. Historical connections like these complement the stories of the churches and manor houses with the former origins of individual architectural features.

Discover more destinations: Martigné-Ferchaud, Rennes, Saint-Malo, Montfort-Sur-Meu, Vezin-Le-Coquet, La Ville-Ès-Nonais, Fougères, Cherrueix

For the broader travel overview: Ille-Et-Vilaine.