Moncé-en-Belin: History, Hiking Trails and Culture

Moncé-en-Belin combines historic routes and buildings with hiking and a cultural programme. If you are looking for a hotel for your stay, the reason for your trip may be the deciding factor: would you like to explore local history, plan a named hiking route or attend a live performance? Different planning considerations matter for each of these interests. For hiking trails, the route, markings and terrain are key; for a performance, the specific event date matters.

Roman Roads and Historic Buildings

A Roman road from Le Mans to Poitiers crossed Monciacum; today, its route corresponds to the Route du Lude. The town’s history thus links an ancient thoroughfare with a route that has a name today. La Chapelle was built in 1828 by Joseph Rottier de Madrelle, who was known as “l’abbé de Moncé” and was the last Count of Belin. The chapel served as a stop for processions.

The Motte castrale du Haut Maine near Vaux was an artificial, conical mound of earth about ten metres high and thirty metres in diameter. Its diameter is roughly three times its height, making the scale of the mound easy to picture. The road, chapel and motte represent three different ways of approaching history: a thoroughfare, religious use and a distinctive landform.

Commemoration at the Monument des Alliés

The Monument des Alliés commemorates eight airmen—six Canadians, one Englishman and one Australian—who died in an air raid on 23 May 1944. It was inaugurated in 1949. The two dates answer different questions: the airmen died in 1944, and the monument was inaugurated in 1949.

Hikes with Different Goals

The Circuit de Moncé is 10 km long and marked in yellow. It starts at the Le Val’Rhonne car park, passes the Monument des Alliés and runs 70 percent along unpaved paths. The distance and terrain are practical considerations when choosing a hike, while the yellow markings provide additional wayfinding information. The Circuit des Buttes leads to the medieval crossing known as the Gué du Moyen-Age. This crossing at the Lunérotte was discovered when the hiking trail was opened. In this way, a 10 km route marked in yellow and mostly on unpaved terrain offers a different hiking experience from a route leading to a medieval crossing.

Cultural Programme and Landscape

The Circuit de Moncé starts at the Le Val’Rhonne car park; Le Val’Rhonne also offers a varied programme of live performances throughout the year, including circus, theatre and music. If you would like to include a particular performance in your stay, check the event date before setting your travel dates. The Lunerotte stream belongs to the Rhonne drainage basin. This places the stream within the river system and adds a landscape connection to the historical and cultural themes.

Discover more destinations: Champagné, La Chartre-Sur-Le-Loir, Crannes-en-Champagne, Changé, Marolles Les Braults, Le Bailleul, Vinay, Berfay

For the regional travel overview: Sarthe.