Montjean offers cultural and scenic attractions with a variety of highlights: the building history of the Église Saint-Martin dates back to the 12th century, while the Étang is overlooked by the ruins of an old fortified castle. The Château de la Lanfrière makes its own impression with its English-style park. There is also a fishing spot and the “La Planante” cycle route, which passes through Montjean.

Church history across several building phases

The parish church of Montjean, the Église Saint-Martin, is a 12th-century building. Its west door was renovated in 1567. During work in 1889, the transept was built, the windows were renovated and vaults were added; the work was carried out by departmental architect Eugène Hawke. The church’s medieval origins, the 16th-century renovation of the door and the work of 1889 can therefore be understood as distinct phases in its history.

A stained-glass window in bay 9 recalls another period. It commemorates the 1906 inventory and depicts gendarmes entering the church of Montjean on 15 March 1906. In the scene, a gendarme breaks the window with a sledgehammer. The window adds a precisely dated event from the town’s history to the building’s different phases, giving the church a historical narrative alongside its architectural one.

Étang, castle ruins and château gardens

The Étang de Montjean is a 25-hectare body of water overlooked by the ruins of an old fortified castle. The Château de la Lanfrière is a separate site: a 19th-century residence with a French-style garden and an English-style park. The industrialist M. Morin Blottais, who came from Laval, had the château built around 1840. The estate includes a 15-hectare English-style park with numerous notable trees. Visitors can therefore choose between two distinct landscapes: the body of water and castle ruins at the Étang, or the gardens and park of a historic residence at the Château de la Lanfrière.

Montjean lies in a valley watered by the Oudon. From the road from Courbeveille, there is a lovely view of the town. The “La Planante” cycle route runs from Beaulieu-sur-Oudon through Montjean. This gives visitors two distinct points of reference for planning: a scenic viewpoint and a specific cycling route.

Plan your visits and activities

Visits to the Château de la Lanfrière are available by appointment and include the entire exterior grounds, the ceremonial entrance and the chapel. Without a reservation, the château is open during the “Rendez-vous aux Jardins” and Journées du Patrimoine events; check the specific event dates before your trip. A visit by appointment is therefore different from access during these events.

The “Église” stop is served by route 108 in both directions: towards Laval and towards La Guerche de Bretagne. Check the current timetable before travelling. At Pisciculture Le Moulin du Château in Montjean, visitors can fish for carp, trout and white fish. Plan your visit around the operating period listed for 2026 and check the specific dates before you travel.

Discover more destinations: Saint-Germain-De-Coulamer, Saint-Pierre-Des-Nids, Juvigné, Landivy, Beaulieu-Sur-Oudon, Saint-Denis-D'anjou, Saint-Thomas-de-Courceriers, Bazougers

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