A chapel with Romanesque origins, historic manor houses and two circular walking trails give Touvois a distinct cultural and natural character. When planning your visit, it is worth noting the different periods represented: the buildings’ history ranges from a medieval priory to a manor house dating from the 19th century; the walking routes differ considerably in length and estimated duration.

Chapels and Manor Houses

In 1150, Fontevrault Abbey founded a women’s priory on the grounds of the Manoir du Val-de-Morière. It was known as “Bademorière” or “Bademoreria”. The present-day manor house, by contrast, dates from 1870. The founding of the priory and the much later construction of the present-day manor therefore represent two distinct historical milestones at this site.

The Manoir de La Foresterie is considered the oldest dwelling in the Forêt de Touvois. Its distinctive features include moats and a wolf trap. These details add a notable feature of its design to the information about the house’s age.

The Chapelle de Fréligné lies between Touvois and Falleron and has Romanesque origins. It was built in the 13th century, altered in the 16th century and restored in the 19th century. Its stained-glass windows date from 1885. The listed features include a baptismal font and a credence table with a trefoil shape. The trefoil is a three-lobed form; in addition to the building phases, this provides a specific detail about the furnishings.

The chapel is open daily throughout the year; residents of the hamlet look after it. Check the current visiting arrangements before your visit, as local rules may change.

Memorial Sites and Distinctive Natural Features

North of the commune, in the hamlet of La Revarderie near the D72 between Le Val de Molière and La Benâte, a stele commemorates William Judson (1922–1994), an RAF airman who found refuge in La Revarderie in 1944. To find it: from the centre of the hamlet, take the path to the left. At the end of the path, the stele stands behind an agricultural shed on the left.

About one kilometre from the Chapelle de Fréligné, in the direction of Touvois, lies the Fontaine Bouillonnante. Bubbles sometimes rise to the surface of the shallow spring. The occasional bubbling is part of its description, as is its approximate distance from the chapel; this distance should not be taken as an indication of walking time.

Comparing Two Circular Walking Trails

The 2020 tourism map lists Le Douavit as a local circular walking trail, 4.2 kilometres long. It starts at the Jardin des sports; the estimated duration is one hour. La Fontaine (Grand Parcours) is listed as 12 kilometres long, with an estimated duration of three hours. This trail starts at the Chapelle de Fréligné. The two routes can therefore be compared by distance and estimated time: Le Douavit is the shorter option, while La Fontaine is the longer circular trail. Check local trail conditions before setting out and use the time estimates as a guide.

Discover more destinations: Saint-Molf, Guérande, Vallet, Plessé, Conquereuil, La Haie-Fouassière, Vertou, Paimbœuf

For the broader travel overview: Loire-Atlantique.