The Chapel of Notre Dame des Dons takes us far back into Treillières’ history: its origins date to the 11th to 12th centuries. Around 1460, François II, Duke of Brittany and Anne’s father, restored the chapel. A famous Breton pilgrimage site, it was the destination of numerous princely visits, including visits by Anne, Duchess of Brittany. The dates mark different stages: early origins were followed by restoration in the 15th century; the history of pilgrimage also places the chapel within Brittany’s religious and ducal history.
Craftsmanship and insights into production
Another chapter in local culture is Brosserie Julio – Andrée Jardin in Treillières. For several generations, brush-making for industrial applications and household accessories has been carried on there. A visit report published on 30 March 2026 describes a look inside workshops in operation: visitors learned about each stage of the process, from drilling the wood and inserting the bristles to the finishing work. Thus, alongside the chapel’s long history, there is a tangible manufacturing process centred on materials and skilled production steps.
Valley, bocage and trails
The Gesvres flows through Treillières in a valley whose bocage landscape remains clearly defined. The Circuit des villages anciens trail passes through formerly cultivated heathland, dense bocage and green paths. The river valley and trail offer two different perspectives on the landscape: the Gesvres shapes the description of the valley, while the Circuit identifies particular landscape features along its route.
The Parc du Haut-Gesvres also brings together different themes. It is a nature and leisure park with an educational trail and numerous notable trees. A large play structure features slides, bridges, nets, climbing walls and a treehouse; picnic tables are nearby. The trail and the trees described offer a different focus from the play structure and tables: both nature and purpose-built leisure features form part of the local landscape.
Villages and traces of history
La Ménardais is a granite village with old houses and their outbuildings. The granite and historic buildings create a village scene distinct from the stories of pilgrimage and craftsmanship. Different local histories also meet along the municipal trails, although they do not share the same route or historical focus.
The La Vallée du Gesvres trail is designated for hiking, mountain biking and horse riding. Check the conditions before setting out. A third municipal hiking trail leads to the Moulin de Fort L’Evêque; in La Houssaie, traces of a former feudal castle can be seen along this route. The differences are clear when choosing a focus: the chapel tells of pilgrimage and princely visits, the Brosserie puts a craft and its production steps in the spotlight, and the trails foreground landscape, activity or historical traces.
Discover more destinations: Haute-Goulaine, Grandchamps-Des-Fontaines, Mouzillon, Joué-Sur-Erdre, Soudan, Grand-Auverné, Guérande, Bourgneuf-En-Retz
For the wider travel overview: Loire-Atlantique.
