Poilley combines a marked walking route with a landscape of hedgerows, river and granite. The approximately 11 km Madeleine Loop can shape a visit on foot; the church, manor house and stone details along the way add different facets of the village’s history.
Walking the Madeleine Loop
The “Madeleine de Sinéty” walking trail is open to walkers. The Madeleine de Sinety hiking route is signposted in both directions and forms a loop of about 11 km. At this length, it is a distinct walking highlight rather than just a short circular walk around the village. The two-way waymarking helps you choose which direction to take. Check local conditions, access and waymarking before setting out.
Bocage, the Beuvron and granite
The walking trail follows the Beuvron for over a kilometre. The river is the main feature of Poilley’s waterways and accompanies the walk along a specific stretch. The route passes through a landscape strongly shaped by bocage, between agricultural plots dominated by hedgerows. The hedgerows divide the fields and define the character of this agricultural landscape. Centuries-old oaks, chestnut trees and beeches stand along the route; natural granite boulders are also part of the scenery. Water, hedgerows, old trees and granite stand out as distinct landscape features.
Church, manor house and cross
The Church of Saint-Martin was entrusted to the Benedictines of Mont-Saint-Michel around the year 1000. Its nave dates from the second half of the 16th century; on the south side, it retains a reused doorway and a 15th-century window. Thus, the church brings together an early historical connection, a later phase in the construction of the nave and older architectural elements. Its building history cannot therefore be reduced to a single date.
The Château de Poilley is the seigneurial estate of the former parish. Its main construction phase dates to the turn of the 16th and 17th centuries. Its distinctive historical function and different period of focus add to the building history of the church, which consists of several layers from different eras.
The Croix du Demeau is octagonal and probably dates from the 16th century. It is listed as a historic monument. Its name may derive from “demia”, a local measure of grain. This cross therefore brings together a distinctive shape, a date that is explicitly only probable, and a possible explanation of its name.
The walking route also reveals connections to everyday life in the past. The “sources-lavoirs” along it were once used to supply water. Some of the houses along the route have round doors made of reddish granite and elegant exterior chimneys. These details add examples of local architecture and former water supplies to the larger buildings.
Discover more destinations: Gosné, Saint-Domineuc, Meillac, Noyal-Sous-Bazouges, Roz-Sur-Couesnon, Le Tiercent, Saint-Jacques-De-La-Lande, Plesder.
For the broader travel overview: Ille-Et-Vilaine.
