Saint-Aubin-Des-Préaux: Church, Plateau and Landscape

Saint-Aubin-Des-Préaux is characterised by a protected church and a wet plateau. The church’s construction history ranges from Romanesque elements dating from the 12th century to Gothic features from the 13th century. Landscape, trails and mini golf add practical topics for planning your trip to its cultural history.

Church and Art History

The church has been listed as a Monument historique since a protection order dated 9 June 1971. The surviving buttresses are part of the Romanesque structure built in the 12th century. The pillars of the church tower, the rib vault and the two transept windows date from the Gothic period in the 13th century. The building features therefore show distinct periods: a buttress is a supporting structure attached to the outside of a building; in a rib vault, the supporting ribs cross one another.

The church furnishings also date from different periods. The church’s altarpiece dates from the 18th century, and the tabernacle from 1822. An altarpiece is the decorated structure behind the altar; a tabernacle is a separate item of liturgical furnishing. The furnishings therefore date from a later period than the Romanesque and Gothic building features.

The parish’s history also includes the Jesuit Pierre Lecuyer, who came from Saint-Aubin: he sent relics from Rome to the parish of Saint-Aubin; the shipment also included six reliquaries. These six reliquaries formed part of the ensemble at the high altar; a theft took place between 10 and 18 July 2020. The protected ensemble of the high altar is considered partially stolen.

Wet Plateau and Views as Far as the Sea

Saint-Aubin-Des-Préaux extends across a wet plateau of 824 hectares, bounded by the Thar. From the trails at Coudray and Gracerie, as well as from near the 2,500 m² mini-golf course, views stretch across fields to the sea. A plateau bounded by waterways and open, far-reaching views across fields thus offer contrasting aspects of the landscape.

Trails and Mini Golf

The Le Boscq, L’Oiselière route is listed in the Saint-Planchers and Anctoville-sur-Boscq area as 15 km long, with an elevation gain of 144 m. It is rated fairly easy and runs mostly along trails and small shared roads, which are also used by walkers. The distance, elevation gain and difficulty rating offer different points of reference for planning the route; ground conditions may vary by season.

The Sentier de la Venlée runs between Saint-Planchers and Saint-Aubin-Des-Préaux along the Oiselière valley, whose former name was Saigue. The two routes can be distinguished by their different descriptions: Le Boscq, L’Oiselière is described in terms of distance, elevation gain and difficulty; the Venlée is described by its course through the valley and its two endpoints. Check the latest route information before setting out.

A mini-golf course has been located on Route de la Malenfandière in Saint-Aubin-Des-Préaux since summer 2018. Check the opening hours before your visit.

Transport in the Manche Department

The NOMAD-Manche network of the Normandy region covers the Manche department, where Saint-Aubin-Des-Préaux is located. The network offers three modes of transport for residents and visitors. Transport services and routes may change, so check the network’s current information before travelling.

Two demand-responsive transport services are also offered in rural parts of the Manche department for residents outside urban areas. They can be used without age or income requirements. Reservations must be made by 4 p.m. on the working day before travel at the latest. As reservation rules may change, check the current conditions in advance.

Discover more destinations: Notre-Dame-du-Touchet, Saint-Jores, Chaulieu, Brillevast, Dangy, Moyon, Saint-Vaast-La-Hougue, Beaucoudray.

For the full travel overview: Manche.