Montilliers: Church, History and Circular Trail

For a stay in Montilliers, local history and a hiking route offer different points of interest. The Saint-Hilaire parish church showcases architectural history and sacred art; the La Fontaine washhouse combines a historic building with a more recent redevelopment. The Circuit des Prés Naiteaux adds to these themes with a PR hiking trail designated as a circular route. You can plan your time according to your interest in architecture, local remembrance or a walk.

Saint-Hilaire: Architectural Design and Stained-Glass Windows

The Saint-Hilaire parish church was built from 1905 to 1908 and consecrated on January 5, 1908. It has a single-nave layout, a transept, an apse and side apses, and is built in the ogival style. These terms describe different features: the nave is the main longitudinal space; the transept forms the crosswise section, while the apse and side apses refer to other parts of the church’s east end. “Ogival” refers to pointed-arch forms. The building can thus be understood both through its precise chronology and its described spatial layout.

One window in the parish church was created by Clames, a stained-glass artist from Anjou. It depicts the massacre at the Croix des Martyrs and was declared a historic monument in 1989. The year 1989 refers to the window itself; the years 1905 to 1908 refer to the church.

Remembrance of the War in the Vendée

The Croix des Martyrs commemorates an event from the War in the Vendée: on April 5, 1794, 22 residents of Montilliers were shot, including women and children. The specific date and number give the commemoration a clear historical context. The same massacre appears as an image in the parish church window. The cross and the church window convey the historical reference in different ways: as a memorial marker and as a depiction in glass.

La Fontaine Washhouse

The La Fontaine washhouse was built in 1838. In 2015, it was redeveloped with new tree plantings, tables and pétanque courts. A footpath through the La Fontaine residential area leads to the washhouse. Its chronology differs from that of the parish church: while Saint-Hilaire dates from the early 20th century, the washhouse was built in 1838; its redevelopment, in turn, dates from 2015.

Circular Trail and Visitor Information

The Circuit des Prés Naiteaux is a circular route classified as a Sentier de Promenade et de Randonnée (PR), or walking and hiking trail. The classification describes both its circular layout and its character as a walking and hiking trail. This is the specific information to help you plan your walk.

The Les Prés Naiteaux recreation area has a pontoon for people with reduced mobility. If you are looking for designated infrastructure for people with reduced mobility, this pontoon is the specific facility identified.

Travel by Bus

During the school term, route 418 offers up to six return trips between Lys-Haut-Layon, Montilliers and Angers. This provides a specific option for travelling by public transport. Take the school term schedule into account and check current departure times before travelling.

Discover more destinations: Le Fuilet, Pruillé, Artannes-Sur-Thouet, Landemont, Saint-Macaire-en-Mauges, Linières-Bouton, La Ménitré, Saint-Georges-Sur-Loire

For the broader travel overview: Maine-Et-Loire.