Discover Sainte-Marguerite-de-Carrouges

Sainte-Marguerite-de-Carrouges is part of the Parc naturel régional Normandie-Maine. Local points of interest range from the Église Sainte-Marguerite and six Calvaries to the former blast furnace and foundry site of Le Fourneau. They also include the Ferme cidricole Hugues Desfriéches, with its range of products and orchards managed in different ways. When planning your visit, you can distinguish between sacred architecture, landmarks scattered around the area, industrial heritage and regional produce.

Église Sainte-Marguerite: architectural history and furnishings

The Église Sainte-Marguerite brings together architectural elements from several centuries: the nave dates from the 11th century and the transept from the 15th century. The chapels date to 1648 and the choir to 1680. Different building phases are thus represented side by side in the same structure; the chapels predate the choir.

The church preserves a Romanesque west façade with a granite portal and a double archivolt. An archivolt is a moulding around a portal; when doubled, the frame appears in two tiers of arches. This offers a clear view of a façade detail that differs from the church’s later-dated architectural elements.

The historical connection is also precisely dated: in 1380, Jean de Carrouges and Marguerite de Thibouville were married at the Église Sainte-Marguerite. By decree of 29 December 1978, the church was listed as a Monument historique.

The furnishings include an 18th-century ensemble of altarpiece, altar, tabernacle, a statue of Saint Nicholas and two paintings depicting the Holy Trinity and Saint Francis of Assisi. The statue of Saint Nicholas dates from the 19th century, making it later than the ensemble. The different dates help show that the furnishings are not all works from the same period.

Six Calvaries at different locations

A total of six Calvaries stand in the village centre and its hamlets. The first is by the church square, the second in La Croix on Rue de l’Eglise. The fourth stands at the junction of rue des étangs and route du Joué-du-Bois; the fifth at the junction of route du Ménil-Scelleur and Impasse de la Normandière. The locations named thus range from the church square and a street to two specified junctions. They are spread across several reference points rather than concentrated in one place.

Le Fourneau: traces of the former industrial site

Le Fourneau adds an industrial perspective to the church’s architectural history. The former blast furnace and foundry site is associated with surviving workers’ houses and the foreman’s residence. These buildings provide a different focus from the dated architectural elements of the Église: here, attention is on the surviving houses at the former industrial site.

Fruit growing and products of the Ferme cidricole

The Ferme cidricole Hugues Desfriéches produces organic cider, perry in conversion to organic farming, and organic Pommeau de Normandie aged for more than five years. The range also includes white eaux-de-vie, Calvados AOC aged for up to 40 years, organic apple, organic pear and apple-pear juices, and organic cider vinegar. The products differ both in type and in their stated ageing period and organic status.

The land figures also show two different stages of cultivation: the farm has 10 hectares of organic apple trees and 3 hectares of pear trees in conversion to organic farming. The organic status of the apples is already established, while the pear trees are still in conversion. Together with the product range, this provides a clear connection to fruit growing without conflating the produce or farmland with the village’s historic buildings.

Discover more destinations: Saint-Cyr-La-Rosière, Aunou-Sur-Orne, Saint-Symphorien-Des-Bruyères, Saint-Léonard-des-Parcs, Bagnoles-De-L'orne, Le Château-D'almenêches, Saint-Siméon, Mieuxcé.

For the wider travel overview: Orne.