Congrier can be explored through tangible traces of its architectural, industrial and cultural history. The Église Saint-Pierre-aux-Liens tells the story of several successive church buildings; the Chapelle Saint-Lézin connects the local slate history with religious remembrance. The MAmusée and the Mare des Guillotières are also worth a visit. You can therefore tailor your stay to your interests: sacred architecture, slate heritage, art and exhibitions, or nature watching.

Church architecture and stained glass

The Église Saint-Pierre-aux-Liens was built from 1882 to 1885 to plans by the departmental architect Eugène Hawke. It replaced a church built in 1802, which had itself taken the place of the church burned down in 1794. The sequence of construction can therefore be traced in three stages: the fire of 1794, the new church of 1802, and the present church, built from 1882 to 1885. This chronology places the church’s construction within the longer history of the town.

Another detail concerns the stained-glass windows. Some of them are associated with the new technique of reinforced polyester laminate, which Father Bernard Chardon used to restore or enhance stained-glass windows. The stained glass thus adds another dimension to the building’s history: alongside the question of when the church was built, a distinctive stained-glass technique also comes into focus.

The Chapelle Saint-Lézin and the slate heritage

The Chapelle Saint-Lézin leads from sacred architecture to industrial history. Congrier’s slate quarries operated from the mid-15th century until the first quarter of the 20th century. The chapel is connected with this heritage and recalls the veneration of Saint Lézin as the oldest patron saint of slate workers. At the chapel, religious remembrance and the history of a local trade come together.

The chapel’s more recent history is also marked by specific dates: it was restored from July 2013 to November 2015 and blessed on 22 October 2016. The restoration and blessing were two separate events. Together with the long period of slate quarrying, they offer different perspectives on the same local heritage—from the history of work to the chapel’s more recent upkeep.

Art and exhibitions at the MAmusée

The MAmusée is an artistic and cultural space designed by visual artist Qiang MA. It opened in 2021. The ground-floor rooms offer a varied scenography for group exhibitions. Unlike the churches and the chapel, the focus here is on artistic design and the scenography for group exhibitions on the ground floor.

If you plan to visit the MAmusée, check the current opening hours before your visit.

The Mare des Guillotières and getting there

The Mare des Guillotières offers another perspective. This body of water in Congrier was restored in 2011; monitoring carried out there in 2018 recorded six amphibian species. These dates refer to different things: 2011 marks the restoration, while 2018 refers to a later survey. Nature thus adds another theme to the town’s architectural, industrial and cultural history.

As a road reference, Congrier is ten minutes from the expressway between Angers and Rennes. Actual journey time depends on the route you choose and traffic, so check a current route planner when planning your specific journey. You can plan your drive and the visits you want to make separately—for example, focusing on churches and slate heritage, exhibitions, or the natural setting of the Mare.

Discover more destinations: Gorron, Saint-Germain-Le-Fouilloux, Renazé, Chammes, Meslay-Du-Maine, Longuefuye, Moulay, Pontmain.

For the broader travel overview: Mayenne.