Crissé: Hiking and Local History

Crissé offers two ways to explore during a stay: hiking trails through the countryside and its architectural and commemorative history. Highlights include the 6.0 km Circuit bocage et champagne, the Église Saint-Pierre and the grave at La Butte au Moblot. When planning your stay, you can first decide whether you are more interested in the routes or the historical landmarks.

Hiking Trails and Countryside

The Circuit bocage et champagne is a 6.0 km walking trail designated as a Sentier de Promenade et de Randonnée (PR). It starts at the church, at a star-shaped junction where four roads meet. The route follows the Berdin, a tributary of the Vègre, and offers a fine view of the Bois de l’Hôpiteau. It lies where the Pays de Sillé meets the Champagne Conlinoise; the landscapes along the circuit include hedgerows and open fields.

The Circuit entre Longuève et Ruisseau de Bonne Fontaine is also designated as a Sentier de Promenade et de Randonnée (PR). It starts and ends at the church in Crissé, descends to the Ruisseau de Bonne Fontaine and invites you to discover the Longuève. Both routes are designated PR trails and start at the church; their landscapes differ, with the Berdin on one route and the Ruisseau de Bonne Fontaine and Longuève on the other.

Church and Local History

The Église Saint-Pierre dates from the 12th and 19th centuries. It retains the tower and apse of a Romanesque church that was extensively altered in the 19th century. The church has quatrefoil, pointed-arch openings and a pointed-arch western doorway. Its architectural history thus combines Romanesque features with a far-reaching transformation in the 19th century.

The grave at La Butte au Moblot is another distinct aspect of local history. It is the grave of André Gréaud, a member of the mobile guard who was found dead in this wood and buried there after the battle of 15 January 1871. A railing surrounds the grave. The cast-iron cross depicts a lowered flag as its shaft and a rifle as its crossbar; two downward-pointing sabres are positioned at its base.

A chapel in Crissé contains a parish memorial bearing the names of 38 soldiers. Here you will find two distinct forms of remembrance: the grave of André Gréaud, with its specific design features, and the parish memorial, with its names and figures.

The Chemin Montois in its Regional Context

The Circuit bocage et champagne passes by the Chemin Montois, which runs through Champ de Voie. At Champ de Voie, the circuit leaves this path. In the Middle Ages, pilgrims travelled from Le Mans or from further afield to Mont-Saint-Michel. In the regional context of Sarthe, the Chemins Montois network comprises pilgrimage routes to Mont-Saint-Michel. This places the local connection at Champ de Voie within a broader regional history of pilgrimage, while the Église Saint-Pierre and the commemorative sites reveal other aspects of local history.

Discover more destinations: Vallon-sur-Gée, Champagné, Maresché, Coulaines, Fercé-Sur-Sarthe, Courgains, La Chapelle-Aux-Choux, Cherreau

For the broader travel overview: Sarthe.