Le Tronchet – Château History and Hiking Trails

Le Tronchet combines historic buildings with opportunities for hiking and mountain biking. If you are looking for a destination where local history and outdoor activities come together, the château, church, countryside and trails offer different points of interest. The most distinctive landmarks are the Château du Tronchet and the Notre-Dame church; there are also three hiking trails and a designated mountain bike circuit. The historical details range from major construction phases to specific details of art and architectural history.

The Château and Local History

The Château du Tronchet was built between 1777 and 1783 for the Marquis de Perrochel by the architect Desprès from Le Mans. After being abandoned during the French Revolution, the château was restored in 1834. It has been protected as a historic monument since July 31, 1997. This sequence clearly sets out three stages: construction, abandonment during the Revolution and restoration. The château is privately owned. If you are considering a visit, make arrangements in advance; public access should not be assumed.

Church and Religious Art

The Notre-Dame church was built and altered in the 12th, 16th and 18th centuries. It preserves protected features, including an altarpiece, a tracery window and remnants of a funerary memorial band. An altarpiece is an ornamental structure behind an altar. These features draw attention not only to the building phases but also to the altar, window and commemoration of the dead. They thus complement the building chronology with specific details of religious art.

Another trace of art history is the sculptural group “Charity of Saint Martin.” The terracotta work probably dates from the Renaissance and has been protected as a movable cultural asset since November 14, 1974. The estimated date of creation and the precisely dated protection date belong to two different stages in the object's history: a probable attribution and its subsequent protected status.

Other Traces of Local History

Le Tronchet’s inherited cultural heritage also includes privately owned hemp ovens. A different kind of detail can be seen in the restoration of a lavoir, or washhouse: when a lavoir in Le Tronchet was restored in 2000, its sheet-metal roofing was replaced with a tiled roof. While the Château’s history of construction and restoration takes center stage, a specific change of materials can be identified at the lavoir. This contrast complements the major building histories with a concrete detail of repair work.

Countryside, Hiking Trails and Mountain Biking

In the southern part of this landscape area, the wooded ridges of the forests of Mézières, La Bazoge and Le Tronchet screen the view. This landscape character adds a spatial dimension to the architectural themes: here, the structure of the wooded ridges shapes the view across the countryside.

There are three hiking trails in Le Tronchet. The “Circuit around Ségrie” adds a mountain biking option: this designated mountain bike circuit is 23 km long and has 330 metres of elevation gain. The 2025 Alpes Mancelles tourism guide lists it as a mountain bike circuit; it is designated for Ségrie, Vernie and Le Tronchet. When choosing, first consider the type of activity and, for mountain biking, the route measurements: there are three hiking trails and one mountain bike circuit of 23 km with 330 metres of elevation gain. Check current route conditions before setting out.

Discover more destinations: Villaines-la-Carelle, Moulins-le-Carbonnel, Marolles Les Braults, Rouillon, Mamers, Surfonds, Mulsanne, Saint-Ouen-De-Mimbré

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