The most beautiful religious buildings Maine-Et-Loire

They are twenty-eight, churches or chapels, to open their doors to the visitor. In each of them, a visit document presents the history of the sites, details the most important elements and a particular theme close to the building. The closest to them, from Saint-Florent-le-Vieux: The Mesnil-en-Vallée (church Notre-Dame and Notre-Dame chapel open every day from 8 a. m. to 19 p. m.), Montjean-sur-Loire (Saint-Symphorien church open every day from 9 a. m. to 17 p. m., Chapel Saint-Aubin, contact the Tourist Office), La Varenne-sur-Loire (Saint-Pierre church open every day) from 10 p. m. to 20 p. m., Le Pin-en-Mauges (Saint-Pavin church open daily from 9 a. m. to 18 p. m.).

In Maine-et-Loire, the objective of welcoming churches is to discover this part of the religious heritage. The churches involved facilitate access to the building (open door or key to be recovered from a neighbour), make available a document on history and architecture and improve the presentation (for example, musical lighting or background). Northern Churches Saumurois which are part of the network: The church Saint-Doucelin in Allonnes, Notre-Dame church in Blou, the Saint-Maurille church in Brain-sur-Allonnes. Information: 02 41 52 87 40. Saumurois Tourism Office at Brain-sur-Allonnes.

Former chapel of the castle, the collegiate church is located within its walls but is accessible by a bridge. It is one of the most prestigious religious buildings of the 15th century in Anjou, specific of the Angevin Gothic style. The church is composed of a 44 meters long and 12 meters wide vessel, and a 18 meters high vault. There is an oratory from which the lord attended the services in all discretion. This church has been classified as a historical monument since 1907.

This majestic edifice, built on top of a limestone hillock, rises to 106 metres and rests on the foundations of an ancient Romanesque church. Eleanor of Aquitaine ordered its construction in the first half of the 13th century, and it was built in one go, something extremely rare for the time when works were generally built bit by bit, often requiring several centuries to complete. The collegiate church is inspired by the plan of Poitiers cathedral, which also has three very slender naves. The church thus offers a mixture of Poitevin and Angevin Gothic styles. An architectural and artistic ensemble that can also be admired at night, when the site is illuminated by beautiful ground lighting. Named collegiate church since 1478, when Louis XI instituted a college of canons, the interior has very beautiful 16th century sculpted stalls as well as a painting of the Assumption by Jean Boucher. There is also a relic, "the belt of the Virgin", a piece of cloth brought back from the crusades which was often believed to have the power to promote fertility and the birth of male children. For this reason, the building became a popular place of pilgrimage on the route to Santiago de Compostela. A staircase allows you to discover the frame and the surrounding panorama. If you have time, a visit to the village gives you the opportunity to discover several 15th and 16th century houses.

There are various reasons why visitors should enter the abbey. There is the panoramic view of the bocage. There is the site, with its beautiful stained glass windows, statues and reliquaries. There is also the desire to spend some personal time in the atmosphere of the monastery. Here lives a community of about thirty Cistercian nuns whose days are punctuated by prayer and work. They welcome those who wish to join them in prayer.

The monastery was founded in 1959 in the diocese at the request of the bishop of Angers by the congregation of the Benedictine nuns of Sainte-Bathilde de Vanves in the Paris suburbs. Initially located in Chemillé, the monastery moved in 1961 to Martigné-Briand. Today, about fifteen Benedictine sisters seek to "follow Christ by the ways of the Gospel" in the monastery of Notre-Dame-de-la-Compassion. The community welcomes people (nuns, ladies, young people and couples) who wish to take a break for a time of renewal. They will benefit from the silence of Benedictine life and the help of the offices that punctuate the day. If they wish, they can meet with a sister who will help them to make this time of withdrawal from the world a useful reflection and source of positive change. On request, young women can be welcomed to share the community's prayer life and be accompanied during their stay.

Offices: Vigils at 5:25 am, Lauds at 7:45 am, Eucharist at 11:45 am (9 am on Sundays), Sext at 12 pm on Sundays, None at 2:15 pm (1:45 pm on Sundays), Vespers at 5:30 pm, Compline at 8:20 pm, (8 pm on Saturdays and Sundays).

Reception: the hotel has 15 rooms.

Store : weekdays from 10 to 11:30 am and from 3 to 5 pm, Sundays from 10 to 12 am and from 3 to 5 pm (closed on Tuesdays). You will find there the productions of the monastery: jams, icons, exhibition of potteries, as well as books and various religious objects, etc.