Vieux-Pont: Memorial Sites, Manor House and History

Vieux-Pont offers several specific points of interest for a history-focused stay: memorials in the town centre, a fortified granite manor house and medieval documents. There is also an easy cycling loop through the town. These themes differ in period and scale, showcasing different sides of the destination.

Memorial Sites and Local History

The Borne du Serment de Koufra stands in the town centre at the intersection of the D 48 and the D 784. The Stèle Baleyte is right next to it. This places two named memorials side by side; the intersection also provides a specific reference point within the town. They offer a clear starting point for exploring Vieux-Pont’s local history.

An account of the liberation of Vieux-Pont links the town to a military advance led by Lieutenant Briot on 15 August. The lead Sherman, No. 24 “Evreux,” was under the command of Maréchal-des-logis Gelis; the gunner was 17-year-old René Baleyte.

A much earlier episode is documented in two charters from 1212. Guillaume de Vieux-Pont and Guillaume de Boucey, both knights, granted Silly Abbey the right of patronage over the church of Saint-Hilaire de Briouze. The charters thus place the town’s history in a medieval context, naming not only the two individuals but also the church and abbey involved in the transfer of rights.

The Manoir dit Le Désert

The Manoir dit Le Désert is a fortified granite manor house built at the turn of the 16th and 17th centuries. Its features include projecting pavilions and a corbelled corner tower. The pavilions extend beyond the building’s façade; the tower projects from the wall at the corner. This distinguishes the two architectural features mentioned without reducing the manor house to its period of construction or building material.

Since 14 March 1995, the façades and roofs of the manor house have been listed as historic monuments. The date of the listing adds a separate aspect to its architectural context: alongside its construction at the turn of the 16th and 17th centuries is the later protection of the specified parts of the building. For a history-focused stay, the manor house thus combines a distinctive architectural form with a clearly dated historic designation.

Cycling Loop and Landscape

The easy “2e DB Boucle de la Libération” cycling loop is 27.6 kilometres long, starts in Écouché-les-Vallées and also passes through Vieux-Pont. It connects places crossed by the 2nd French Armoured Division in 1944. The distance and difficulty rating provide two different planning details: the distance indicates the length of the loop, while “easy” describes its difficulty. Route conditions can change, so it is worth checking the latest information before planning a ride.

In addition, part of the Vieux-Pont municipal area lies within the Natura 2000 protected area “haute vallée de l'Orne et affluents.” As of 19 July 2026, it is a Special Area of Conservation with the designation FR 2500099. This protected-area status applies to part of the municipal area and adds a natural dimension to the historical themes.

Planning Your Stay in Vieux-Pont

Vieux-Pont received its first “Fleur” under the Villes et Villages Fleuris award scheme. Along with the memorial sites, manor house and cycling loop, this offers a choice of different focuses: when planning your trip, you can follow the town’s history, its architecture or the cycling route described here. If you are looking for a hotel for a stay in Vieux-Pont, you can first decide which of these themes is most relevant to your trip.

Discover more destinations: Champeaux-Sur-Sarthe, Boucé, Sainte-Marguerite-de-Carrouges, Condeau, Boëcé, Saint-Julien-Sur-Sarthe, Montabard, Mortagne-Au-Perche

For the broader travel guide: Orne.