Saint-Georges-le-Gaultier: Chapels, Viaduct and Walking Trail

Saint-Georges-le-Gaultier brings together several different attractions for a trip: chapels, a historic viaduct, a circular trail and a fishing pond. If you are looking for a hotel for your stay, these themes can help you choose your destination. The deciding factor is whether you are more interested in architectural history, hiking or fishing.

Chapels and architectural landmarks

The Sainte-Anne Chapel dates from the 12th century. Its rectangular nave ends in a small structure containing the sanctuary. A lake lies directly beside the chapel. Its setting therefore brings together a historic religious building and a local body of water. For travellers interested in older architecture, the chapel’s age and layout are specific features to note.

The Chapelle de l'Auberdière is a few hundred metres from Niaufles and measures only a few square metres. Whereas Sainte-Anne can be described chiefly in terms of its age and layout, the defining points of de l'Auberdière are its small size and location.

The washhouse in Saint-Georges-le-Gaultier adds a different type of building to the chapels. It was restored in the early 2000s and retains an impressive system of sluice gates. Alongside religious architecture, this preserved technical equipment brings the functional side of local architectural history into view.

The viaduct and the unfinished railway line

The Saint-Georges-le-Gaultier Viaduct was built in 1913 for a railway line. Construction of the line was interrupted during the First World War and never completed. The structure therefore has both a specific construction date and a history tied to a railway project whose line remained unfinished. The viaduct offers a different historical focus from the chapels and washhouse: here, the railway project takes centre stage.

Walking trail and outdoor activities

The “La croix à coquilles” circular trail is 7 km long, listed as a moderately difficult hiking route and recorded as taking 2 hours. It starts in the town centre, at the church square in Saint-Georges-le-Gaultier, and passes over the viaduct. The route surface is listed as 60 percent unpaved paths and 40 percent on a dedicated path. Maintenance or weather can affect trail conditions, so check them before setting out.

Bungee jumping takes place at the viaduct. If you are planning this activity, check locally before your trip to find out whether it is available. This means you can think of the route as a hike, while the viaduct is also connected with this other activity.

The Croix à coquilles bears five engraved scallop shells. It probably served as a waymarker for pilgrims travelling to Santiago de Compostela or Mont-Saint-Michel. The five shells are a specific feature of the cross; its former use as a waymarker remains a supposition.

Fishing pond and accessible fishing platform

The Étang de Saint-Georges-le-Gaultier is a Category 2 fishing pond. It also has a fishing platform adapted for people with reduced mobility. The outdoor activities therefore differ in focus: for the circular trail, the distance, duration and difficulty level are specified; for the pond, the fishing category and adapted platform are the main features. This information can help you plan your stay around your interest in hiking or fishing.

Discover more destinations: Rouessé-Vassé, La Suze-Sur-Sarthe, Auvers-le-Hamon, Thoiré-sur-Dinan, Tresson, Cré, Courdemanche, Ruillé-Sur-Loir.

For the wider travel overview: Sarthe.