Degré combines a hilly landscape with a historic village whose development has centered around Saint-Martin Church since the Middle Ages. This offers different interests to shape a stay around: the village’s architectural history, its rural surroundings or a marked walking route. The church, Le Bignon manor house and the Circuit degréen offer specific points of reference when considering what you would like to focus on during your stay.

Landscape of streams and fields

The terrain around Degré is hilly, cut through by the Brosses, Antonnière and Valet streams. Bocage landscapes, open fields and grazing land form a mosaic. Together with the streams, this mix describes the village’s rural surroundings: no single landscape type takes center stage; rather, it is the interplay of different areas and the undulating terrain. You can weigh this landscape perspective against the village’s historical development when choosing a focus for your trip.

A church and houses with their own history

Saint-Martin Church is an example of medieval architecture in Sarthe. Its components date mainly from the 12th and 13th centuries. Local ferruginous Roussard stone gives the church its characteristic reddish hue. Degré’s development is also linked to Saint-Martin: the village grew around the church from the Middle Ages onward, when it was under the authority of the Abbey of Beaulieu du Mans. The building thus brings together a long local history, a specific architectural period and a local material.

Le Bignon manor house dates from the 15th century, is built of stone and brick, and retains the remains of small towers. La Vagotière is also one of the village’s characteristic 15th-century houses. Compared with the church, whose components date predominantly from the 12th and 13th centuries, these buildings mark two different periods. If you are interested in architectural history, you can compare the church’s medieval architecture with the 15th-century houses; the manor house also features the combination of stone and brick as a further specific detail.

Hiking the Circuit degréen

The Circuit degréen is a 6.3-kilometer walking route rated easy. It starts and ends at the church car park. After arriving in Degré, the route leads to a fifth hemp oven. The route’s length, difficulty, start and end points, and a named destination are therefore specified. You can consider these details separately when planning: the length describes the distance, while the rating indicates the level of difficulty.

As of July 2025, Degré Rando-Nature’s schedule generally called for walks on the fourth Sunday of each month; exceptions were possible. If you want to factor these dates into your plans, check the specific date in advance.

Discover more destinations: Pruillé-l'Éguillé, Beaumont-Pied-De-Boeuf, Vinay, Savigné-L'evêque, Domfront-En-Champagne, Pontvallain, Saint-Rémy-De-Sillé, Souvigné-Sur-Sarthe.

For the broader travel overview: Sarthe.