A protected Stations of the Cross in the Église Saint-Pierre and several named routes shape the picture of Chammes. When planning your trip, it is worth considering culture and hiking as separate focuses: route details vary in length, elevation profile, duration and difficulty.
Église Saint-Pierre: Stations of the Cross and sandstone
The Église Saint-Pierre houses a protected Stations of the Cross consisting of 14 paintings from the mid-20th century. The protection notice is dated 6 August 2020. The paintings are located on the north and south walls of the nave and on the south wall of the side aisle. The church is also especially striking for the reddish-brown colour of its iron-rich flagstone sandstone. Thus, a series of paintings with a precise spatial arrangement and a distinctive building material stand out as different features of the church.
Routes with different profiles
The Circuit de Chammes No. 30 is 10.5 kilometres long, with a stated duration of 2 hours and 45 minutes. Its elevation figures include 150 metres of descent and 147 metres of ascent. The circuit is also classified as a mountain bike route and a Sentier de Promenade et de Randonnée (PR). This classification covers both mountain biking and walking and hiking, complementing the details on length, duration and elevation profile.
The Circuit Trail du Côté de Cham runs from Sainte-Suzanne to Chammes. It is 12.8 kilometres long, rated moderate, and has 130 metres of descent and 129 metres of ascent. It also includes sections along sunken lanes. Compared with the Circuit de Chammes No. 30, the trail is longer and is characterised by its difficulty rating and sunken-lane sections; the Circuit No. 30, in turn, specifies its duration and mountain bike/PR classification. These differences give you concrete points of comparison without treating the two routes as the same.
The Boucle Multi-Randonnée No. 02 offers a different type of route: it is a circular route through Sainte-Suzanne, Torcé and Chammes. The host municipality of Sainte-Suzanne-et-Chammes also has more than 100 kilometres of signposted paths for walking, horse riding and mountain biking. This means the choice extends beyond a single hiking route. Details of the network may be updated, so check the latest route information before setting out.
The Chapelle de la Raierie
The Circuit de Chammes No. 30 passes the Chapelle de la Raierie as one of its stages. The chapel’s dedication is unknown. Historically, it also served as a stop during Rogation processions. The route thus connects a named place with a documented religious use.
The story of its founding has also been passed down as a tradition: the Chapelle de la Raierie is said to have been founded in the second half of the 19th century following a vow made in the hope of healing an injury caused by a horse’s kick. Together with its unknown dedication and former role in Rogation processions, this offers a different perspective on the chapel from its function as a stage on the Circuit de Chammes.
Discover more destinations: Blandouet, Congrier, Beaulieu-Sur-Oudon, Bouchamps-lès-Craon, Saint-Ellier-du-Maine, Renazé, Châtillon-Sur-Colmont, Pontmain.
For the broader travel overview: Mayenne.
