Discover Crissé through its hiking trails and the history of its notable sites. Two circular routes offer different highlights: the Circuit bocage et champagne passes through varied landscapes, while the Circuit entre Longuève et Ruisseau de Bonne Fontaine brings the waterways of the same names into focus. The Église Saint-Pierre and local memorials also offer insight into the architecture and history of the village.
Hiking through bocage and along waterways
The Circuit bocage et champagne is a 6.0-kilometre walking trail designated as a Sentier de Promenade et de Randonnée (PR). It starts at the church in Crissé, at a star-shaped crossroads where four roads meet. Along the way, it follows the Berdin, a tributary of the Vègre, and offers a lovely view of the Bois de l’Hôpiteau. The circular route lies where the Pays de Sillé meets the Champagne Conlinoise. Its landscape alternates between hedged areas and open spaces—a defining contrast along this trail.
The Circuit entre Longuève et Ruisseau de Bonne Fontaine offers a different focus and is also designated as a PR. The route starts and ends at the church in Crissé and descends to the Ruisseau de Bonne Fontaine. It also invites you to discover the Longuève. The two routes therefore offer distinct experiences: the Circuit bocage et champagne is defined by hedged landscapes, open spaces and views towards the Bois de l’Hôpiteau, while the other circular route focuses on the Longuève and the descent to the stream. As local trail conditions may change, check the route before setting out.
Romanesque features and architectural forms
The Église Saint-Pierre dates from the 12th and 19th centuries. It preserves the tower and apse of a Romanesque church that was extensively remodelled in the 19th century. The building features quatrefoil, pointed-arch openings and a western door with a pointed-arch shape. These details add specific forms to the broader architectural history: alongside the surviving tower and apse, you can also distinguish the shape of the openings and the west portal.
A parish memorial bearing the names of 38 soldiers stands in the chapel of the church in Crissé. It includes three statues: two angels and Joan of Arc. Crissé’s religious heritage thus combines architectural details with a tangible tribute to the fallen.
The Chemin Montois and La Butte au Moblot
The Circuit bocage et champagne passes by the Chemin Montois, which runs through Champ de Voie. In the Middle Ages, people from Le Mans and farther afield travelled as pilgrims to Mont-Saint-Michel. The Chemins Montois are associated with pilgrimage routes to Mont-Saint-Michel. This history of the routes offers a different perspective on the area from the landscape descriptions of the circular trails.
Another memorial site is La Butte au Moblot, the burial place of André Gréaud, a member of the mobile guard. After the battle of 15 January 1871, Gréaud was found dead in this wood and buried there. The grave is surrounded by railings. It is topped by an iron cross: a lowered flag forms the shaft and a rifle the crossbar; two sabres point downwards at its base. The site tells its story both through the events passed down through the years and its striking design.
Choose Crissé as a destination
The differences described above are a good starting point for choosing between the trails: the Circuit bocage et champagne has a stated length of 6.0 kilometres and follows the Berdin; the other circular route is distinguished by starting and ending at the church and descending to the Ruisseau de Bonne Fontaine. If you are also interested in Romanesque architecture, pilgrimage history or local remembrance, the church, the Chemin Montois and La Butte au Moblot add to the landscape experience. You can choose accommodation in Crissé according to the themes that matter most during your stay.
Discover more destinations: Moulins-le-Carbonnel, Bessé-Sur-Braye, Aigné, Guécélard, Chemiré-en-Charnie, Conlie, Fercé-Sur-Sarthe, Brûlon.
For the wider travel overview: Sarthe.
