Le Theil-De-Bretagne: Chapel, Routes and History

Le Theil-De-Bretagne brings together religious architectural history, traces of the past and routes with different characteristics. The Chapelle Notre-Dame-de-Beauvais, the present-day parish church and the Grand’ Maison each have their own historical associations. The routes differ in length, difficulty and scenery; an outdoor sports and recreation area complements these attractions.

The chapel and ecclesiastical architectural history

The Chapelle Notre-Dame-de-Beauvais was built by Henri Mellet between 1893 and 1894 on the site of an earlier chapel mentioned since the 15th century. Its history therefore includes both the dated construction and the older chapel site. The small chapel is Neo-Romanesque and is protected as a Monument historique. A bas-relief on the façade depicts the Virgin and Child. In a bas-relief, the forms project only slightly from the background. The construction period, protected status and façade decoration give the chapel a clearly defined architectural history.

The present-day parish church was built in 1883 in the Romanesque style on a former cemetery. It is therefore distinct in date and architecture from the Chapelle Notre-Dame-de-Beauvais: the chapel is Neo-Romanesque, while the parish church is Romanesque.

Historical traces beyond the churches

The Grand’ Maison adds another local history to the ecclesiastical buildings. Part of a historic house survives; it belonged to the Godet family at the end of the 16th century and is associated with Admiral Ducrest de Villeneuve. Its date and surviving section make the Grand’ Maison a different historical landmark from the two religious buildings: the focus here is the history of a house and its connection to a named individual.

Compare routes by length and scenery

Two routes starting in Le Theil-De-Bretagne are available for hiking or mountain biking. The Circuit de Beauvais is 4.1 kilometres long and rated easy. The Circuit du Champ fleuri covers 9.8 kilometres and is of moderate difficulty. Both routes are intended for the same two activities, so they differ not in the stated uses but in length and rating. The Circuit de Beauvais is the shorter, easy option; the Circuit du Champ fleuri is longer and of moderate difficulty.

The Forêt du Theil-de-Bretagne is a distinctive part of the scenery along the Circuit du Champ fleuri. Covering 400 hectares, it is large, and the Circuit is the only route that passes through the private forest. The Chemin vers Buriau is separate from this. This old sunken lane runs between planted banks and was a traditional route through the bocage landscape.

Outdoor sports and recreation

The Parc du Lavoir is an outdoor sports and recreation area. Its facilities include a multisport court and a pump track. This sets the Parc apart from the hiking and mountain biking routes described above: the focus here is on the two named facilities in the recreation area, while the routes are characterized by their length, difficulty or scenery. Together, the buildings, routes and recreational facilities offer different ways to plan your stay in Le Theil-De-Bretagne.

Discover more destinations: Saint-Aubin-D'aubigné, Le Verger, Québriac, Louvigné-Du-Désert, La Bazouge-Du-Désert, Saint-Thurial, Plesder, Montreuil-Le-Gast

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