Champagné: History, Art and Fête

In Champagné, historical themes range from churches and memorial sites to aviation history and a Palm Sunday tradition. If you are planning a stay, you can explore these different highlights: the history of individual buildings, artworks in the town or the date of the Fête de Champagné.

Churches and historic buildings

The Église Saint-Désiré has Romanesque origins. It was partially rebuilt in the 16th century, restored in the 19th century and extended with a bell tower. Several elements of the church are classified as Monuments Historiques: the tabernacle, the statue of the Visitation, the rectory staircase and the baptismal font. This building therefore reveals different chapters in its history, from its Romanesque origins through its reconstruction to later alterations.

Another architectural highlight is Pont Leduc-Ladevèze: this Eiffel-style bridge crosses the Huisne. The Chapelle Saint Sauveur is also one of Champagné’s historic buildings. It contains a painted wall fresco from the 16th century. The church and chapel thus offer different points of interest if you are interested in the history of religious buildings and historic wall decoration.

Artworks and memorial sites

Artworks can be found at several named locations in Champagné. A fresco by Lydia Leblanc is on the gable of the Aimée Prilleux multipurpose hall; access to the building may vary. Another fresco, by Bertrand Thomas, was created in Champagné in 2008. Mosaics by Mosca de Selva are on the walls of the École Maternelle and Collège Wilbur Wright.

Memorial sites include the monument to the Battle of 11 January 1871. It stands at the junction of the upper Route de Verdun and Les Hauts Villiers. On the Esplanade de la Liberté, opposite the town hall, stands a statue with a fountain by Jean-Bernard Métais. Both sites combine their respective memorial or artistic function with a specific, named location in the town.

The Belgian Military Cemetery commemorates the presence of Belgian soldiers at Camp d’Auvours during the First World War, from 1914 to 1918. Near the camp, at the St-Hubert roundabout, stands a commemorative stele erected around 1920. It marks the centenary of Wilbur Wright’s flights. The monument dedicated to Wilbur Wright by the Aéro-Club de France was also relocated in Champagné to a site near Camp d’Auvours.

Aviation history and the Fête de Champagné

A total of 120 flights took place at Camp d’Auvours between 21 August 1908 and 2 January 1909. This figure and period describe the flights at the camp; they do not attribute every flight to Wilbur Wright. Together with the commemorative stele and the relocated monument, they form a distinct historical highlight alongside Champagné’s churches and memorial sites.

The Fête de Champagné is an old tradition dating back to the 12th century and takes place every year on Palm Sunday. In the morning, twelve lance bearers and Judas with his horse proceed in a procession to the cemetery. There, the scene of Judas’ betrayal of Christ is reenacted. In the afternoon, the lance bearers gallop and drive the iron lance tip into the Quintaine post, which they must break. Program details may vary. If you would like to plan your trip around the Fête, check the event dates in advance.

Getting there and planning your stay

SETRAM buses serve Champagné; the town is also served by TER trains on the Le Mans–Paris route. Check timetables before you travel. When planning your hotel stay, your travel arrangements and preferred travel dates may be just as important as whether you are particularly interested in architectural history, memorial sites or the Fête. Champagné also has two ZNIEFF perimeters and a Natura 2000 site. If you are planning a detailed route, check the boundaries of the protected areas.

Discover more destinations: Cormes, Saint-Mars-Sous-Ballon, Nuillé-Le-Jalais, Saint-Pierre-Du-Lorouer, Louplande, Chemiré-en-Charnie, Challes, Saint-Calais.

For the main travel overview: Sarthe.