Yzernay: Chapels, Memorial Sites and Routes

Yzernay can be explored through its chapels, memorial sites and routes. The town’s history spans events from 1794 to the new church bell tower built in 1814; nearby, there are also routes of varying lengths to choose from. When planning your stay, you can therefore weigh up local history, walking paths and longer routes.

Memorial Sites and Local History

The Cimetière des Martyrs was built after the massacre in the forest on 24 March 1794 and is considered an important memorial site. The Chapelle Saint-René, also known as the Chapelle du Cimetière des Martyrs, is located in the cemetery. The Chapelle des Martyrs honours the Vendéens who were killed by the “colonnes infernales”.

On 28 January 1794, the centre of Yzernay burned down, destroying part of the church. A new church bell tower was built in 1814. Remembrance and architectural history are therefore both part of the town’s history, but they mark different events.

At Square de la Mairie, a memorial recalls the former Fontaine de Bodin, which was essential to supplying water to the town centre. The fountain was destroyed in 1967; the town hall created the memorial. This site also recalls the former importance of the water supply to the town centre.

Chapels and Historic Buildings

The Chapelle de la Musse was built in the second half of the 19th century. It stands at the entrance to Yzernay from the direction of Toutlemonde and was restored by an association of history-loving retirees who were also interested in traditional stonework. On a walk in Yzernay, you can follow the Circuit du Patrimoine and visit the Chapelle de la Musse.

The Chapelle de Grand Champ was built and dedicated to Notre-Dame de La Salette. Léon Bouchet restored it in 1991. Different aspects therefore stand out for the chapels: for the Musse, both its location at the entrance to the village and its later restoration are recorded; for Grand Champ, the dedication and year of restoration are among the important details.

La Petite Saulaie is a former noble residence that is still surrounded by moats and two towers. The estate belonged to the lords of Daillon in the 15th and 16th centuries. It is private.

Walking and Cycling Routes

The Sentier de la Pinière is an 8 km circular walking trail marked in blue; it takes about two hours to walk. Nearby, the Étang de Péronne is 2 km away via the D196. There is a 2.4 km circular walking trail there.

The circular trail at the Étang is shorter than the 8 km Sentier de la Pinière; the approximate walking time of two hours applies to this longer walking trail. This allows you to compare the routes by length without assuming they both take the same time to walk.

Nearby, a cycling route follows the D196 to the Vezins-Nuaillé-Chanteloup forest massif. The tourism description states that the forest massif covers more than 3,000 hectares and spans five municipalities. Another type of route is the Sentier du Bocage intercommunal, which passes through Yzernay and connects, among other places, Coron, La Plaine, Somloire, Les Cerqueux and Maulévrier. As route conditions can change, check them before planning a trip.

Discover more destinations: Saint-Clément-De-La-Place, Le Puy-Notre-Dame, Mouliherne, Méon, Rochefort-Sur-Loire, Les Rosiers-Sur-Loire, Le Louroux-Béconnais, La Romagne

Go to the main travel overview: Maine-Et-Loire.