Villaines-sous-Malicorne: Church, Chêne au Diable and Trails

Villaines-sous-Malicorne can be explored through different themes for a trip: Saint-Germain brings together architectural history and wall paintings, while the Chêne au Diable connects a distinctive tree with the Bois des Justices and an old route. Two walking options complement these themes, but differ in length, format and activity details. For your planning, it is therefore helpful to choose first between culture, landscape and activity.

Saint-Germain: architectural history and paintings

Saint-Germain church was built in the 11th and 12th centuries by Simon de Villaines, the Seigneur of La Roche-Simon. Its wall paintings, by contrast, date from the 15th and 17th centuries. The building and paintings therefore belong to different historical periods; the dates of the paintings offer a distinct perspective on the building's later centuries.

Architecturally, Saint-Germain has a Romanesque apse with a domed vault. An apse is the usually rounded end of the chancel; a domed vault is a dome-shaped type of vault. The two terms describe different aspects: the apse is the architectural form of the space, while the dome describes how it is covered. Together with the paintings, these features offer two distinct points of reference: medieval architecture and later visual art.

Chêne au Diable and Bois des Justices

The Chêne au Diable stands in the Bois des Justices beside a very old route and is considered a remarkable tree. This landscape spot therefore brings together a woodland setting, a distinctive tree and a historic route. It offers a different way to explore the local heritage from Saint-Germain, where architectural form and wall paintings take center stage.

This gives you different areas of focus for planning your trip: Saint-Germain represents architecture and painting, while the Chêne au Diable represents nature and its historic location along a route. The walking options add practical information about walking, hiking and cycling.

Walking, hiking and cycling on two routes

A 7.5 km walking loop is available, starting at Place du Docteur Gosselin by the town hall and suitable for mountain bikes. Its length, loop format and starting point give the route a specific character: you can choose a loop with a named starting point, rather than just a stretch of trail. Its suitability for mountain bikes is explicitly stated in addition to the walking description.

The Voie verte between La Suze-sur-Sarthe and La Flèche also passes through Villaines-sous-Malicorne. A municipal notice dated April 9, 2026, describes the route as complete and gives its length as 27 km for walking, hiking and cycling.

The two options can be distinguished by route format and activity profile. The 7.5 km distance refers to a loop with a fixed starting point; the 27 km distance refers to the Voie verte between La Suze-sur-Sarthe and La Flèche, which passes through Villaines. Walking and hiking are listed for both. Mountain-bike suitability is explicitly associated with the loop, while cycling is listed for the Voie verte. These differences provide a practical basis for weighing up the route and the type of activity you want during your stay.

Discover more destinations: Arçonnay, Courdemanche, Souvigné-Sur-Sarthe, Saint-Calais, Juigné-sur-Sarthe, Domfront-En-Champagne, Neufchâtel-En-Saosnois, Sillé-Le-Philippe

For the regional travel overview: Sarthe.