Congrier: Churches, Slate History and Art

Congrier brings together several cultural and historical themes: the architectural history of the Église Saint-Pierre-aux-Liens, the slate-mining heritage of the Chapelle Saint-Lézin and the artistic and cultural MAmusée. The Mare des Guillotières adds a documented nature observation to these local points of interest. This lets you shape your trip around the topics that interest you most.

Church history and stained glass

The Église Saint-Pierre-aux-Liens was built between 1882 and 1885 to plans by departmental architect Eugène Hawke. It replaced a church built in 1802, which had itself replaced a church that burned down in 1794. The dates thus trace a sequence of three building phases: the earlier church, the 1802 church and the present building.

Some of the stained-glass windows also have an art-historical significance of their own. They are associated with the new technique of reinforced polyester laminate, which Father Bernard Chardon used when restoring or enhancing stained-glass windows. Alongside the church’s construction period, visitors can therefore also explore a technique associated with work on stained glass.

The Chapelle Saint-Lézin and the slate heritage

The Chapelle Saint-Lézin is connected with Congrier’s slate-mining heritage. It commemorates the veneration of Saint Lézin as the oldest patron saint of slate workers. The commune’s slate quarries operated from the mid-15th century until the first quarter of the 20th century. This long period places the chapel within a history that extends far beyond its own restoration.

The Chapelle Saint-Lézin was restored from July 2013 to November 2015 and blessed on 22 October 2016. The restoration and blessing are two separate dates: the work had already been completed before the blessing took place. The church and chapel offer different points of focus: the church is notable for its building phases and window-making technique, while the chapel is associated with slate work and the veneration of Saint Lézin.

Art and exhibitions at the MAmusée

The MAmusée is an artistic and cultural space designed by visual artist Qiang MA and opened in 2021. Its ground-floor rooms offer a varied setting for group exhibitions. The MAmusée also offers workshops for adults and temporary exhibitions. Both exhibitions and workshops are therefore among the venue’s stated offerings. Check opening hours in advance when planning your visit.

The Mare des Guillotières

The Mare des Guillotières is another local point of interest: it was restored in 2011. A survey conducted there in 2018 recorded six amphibian species. The restoration and the later species survey offer two different snapshots in time of the same place. The species count refers to the 2018 survey.

Getting there

Congrier is ten minutes from the expressway between Angers and Rennes.

Discover more destinations: Saint-Pierre-Des-Nids, Saint-Germain-le-Guillaume, Saint-Mars-Sur-Colmont, Port-Brillet, Ballots, Neau, Saint-Georges-sur-Erve, Sainte-Suzanne.

For the broader travel overview: Mayenne.