Beaucoudray can be explored through two very different landmarks: a memorial to the French Resistance and the artworks in the Église Saint-Laurent. The Monument des Fusillés stands in a landscaped park at the site where, on 15 June 1944, eleven Resistance fighters from the Manche P.-T.-T. network were shot. Information panels at the site accompany the visit. This memorial brings together the history of the place and a tangible reminder of the eleven people killed.

Monument des Fusillés and the History of the Maquis

The Maquis de Beaucoudray comprised around 30 Resistance fighters between late April and early June 1944. On the night of 5–6 June, the Maquis carried out several acts of sabotage against telephone cables, completely isolating Saint-Lô. The Maquis had two rented houses at its disposal on the edge of the Bois de Moyon. Beaucoudray also offers a very fine view of this forest: the Bois de Moyon thus links a landscape perspective with a tangible connection to local history.

The Monument des Fusillés was inaugurated in June 1947. It can be visited year-round, with no set visiting hours; the average visit lasts 20 minutes. Visitor information may change, so it is advisable to check the details before your visit. This approximate duration is a practical guide for planning, without reducing the historical context to the length of the visit.

Église Saint-Laurent: Dating and Artworks

The Église Saint-Laurent is dedicated to Saint Lawrence. The church is dated to the 18th century, specifically 1767, based on the lintels around the choir. Its furnishings also include works from different centuries and made from different materials. A Vierge douloureuse made of raw clay dates from the 16th century and is listed as a Monument historique. Also from the 16th century is a Vierge à l’Enfant made of polychromed and gilded limestone; it too is listed.

Other listed works include a painted wooden ensemble of a Crucifixion and a poutre de gloire, dating from the 16th to 17th centuries. A painted and gilded ensemble comprising the high altar, tabernacle and altarpiece is also listed as a Monument historique. The contrast between the materials highlights the variety of the works: raw clay sits alongside painted and gilded limestone and wood. The statues made of raw clay consist of rammed earth bound with straw; they were shaped and polished using caustic lime. These statues are very rare in the Manche department.

Local religious tradition also includes invoking Saint Lawrence to heal burns and shingles. Alongside datable and listed artworks, the Église Saint-Laurent therefore preserves a devotional tradition associated with its patron saint.

Landscape Setting

Beaucoudray is part of the continental ZNIEFF Type II site “Moyenne vallée de la Vire et bassin de la Souleuvre”. This designation adds a landscape setting to the themes of memorials and church art. Together, these offer different ways to explore the village: the memory of the Maquis, the history of the monument, the church’s artworks and the view of the Bois de Moyon.

Discover more destinations: Joganville, Saint Planchers, Saint-Hilaire-Du-Harcouët, Le Tanu, Ver, Mortain, Orval, Saint-Rémy-Des-Landes

For the broader travel guide: Manche.