Savigné-Sous-Le-Lude: Heritage and Nature

For a trip to Savigné-sous-le-Lude, cultural history and nature take centre stage. Its historical heritage includes a Romanesque church, protected works of art and the building history of the Château de Bois-Pincé. The Vallée des Cartes et de la Vésotière adds peat meadows and protected species to the picture. Fishing in the pond and river is also available as a specific activity.

Church, Art and Dating

The heritage of Savigné-sous-le-Lude includes a Romanesque church dating from the 12th century. Works of art from the 18th century represent a later period. The statue of Saint Loup of Troyes was very probably created in the first half of the 18th century by a local sculptor. It is protected as a movable cultural asset; its designation as a protected monument is dated 18 July 1908.

The two altars and their retables also very probably date from the mid-18th century and are very probably attributed to a workshop in Le Mans. They are made of limestone. Retables are altar screens; each niche contains a polychrome terracotta statue. For those interested in culture, the site thus offers both a Romanesque church building and specific artworks and altar furnishings from a later period.

Château de Bois-Pincé: Building History and What Remains

Historical accounts describe the residential building of the Château de Bois-Pincé, dating from the late 15th century, as flanked by two unequal wings, each with a tower at its end. The wings are probably dated to the late 16th or early 17th century. The château was probably modernised or rebuilt.

Only the right wing of the 17th-century Château de Bois-Pincé, the cellars of the former residence and remnants of the old staircase survive. The building’s former layout and the few surviving parts are distinct aspects of the château’s history.

Historical Context of the Region

Savigné-sous-le-Lude is located in the former province of Anjou. The village also lies on the historic road described as the old route from Orléans to Bordeaux. Its former affiliation with Anjou and its location on the old route from Orléans to Bordeaux place it in its regional and historical context.

Vallée des Cartes et de la Vésotière

The Vallée des Cartes et de la Vésotière lies where two watersheds meet. Peat meadows line the waterways, and the valley’s flora and fauna are of particular importance. Protected species found there include the summer lady’s-tresses, the dusky large blue, the marsh orchid and the broad-leaved cottongrass. Nature lovers can enjoy both the peat-meadow landscape and the specific species named here.

Fishing and Planning Your Visit

Fishing is possible in the pond and river of Savigné-sous-le-Lude. You can visit the valley as part of organised events or volunteer work sessions. When planning your visit to the valley, check the relevant dates so your visit coincides with one of these opportunities.

Discover more destinations: La Bruere Sur Loir, Ancinnes, Poncé-Sur-Le-Loir, Brette-Les-Pins, Changé, Saint-Christophe-Du-Jambet, Guécélard, La Chartre-Sur-Le-Loir

For the main travel overview: Sarthe.