Saint-Aubin-Des-Coudrais offers a range of things to explore during your trip: the architectural history of the Église Saint-Aubin, a 13-kilometre walking route, the Jardin du Grand Sablon and an agricultural visit to Ferme All’Herbe. Each visit has its own arrangements: at the church, you need to collect the key; the garden is open on a specific weekend or by arrangement; and you should check the farm’s visiting arrangements in advance. This makes it easy to shape your stay around culture, walking or agriculture without treating the different visits as interchangeable activities.
The Église Saint-Aubin: Architectural History and Visits
The Église Saint-Aubin is a former priory church. Its nave and porch probably date from the second half of the 11th century. A left aisle was added around 1553. The building therefore brings together different periods of construction; the dating of the older nave and porch is an estimate, not an exact construction date. If you are interested in the history of church architecture, you can use this sequence of periods as a guide to your visit.
Later features also form part of the church’s history. During the 16th-century Wars of Religion, the former priory church was fortified. It has defensive features dating from around 1600 and a wooden bell tower from the 17th century. Together with the older nave and the later-added aisle, these give you several details to look out for during your visit, without collapsing the different construction phases into a single date.
The church is open to visitors all year round. You can collect the key from the town hall, bakery or butcher’s shop by leaving an identity document as a deposit. Confirm the key collection arrangements locally before your trip. Visits have also been held during the European Heritage Days on the third weekend of September. If you plan your trip around this event, check the dates for the year in question.
Walking Route, Garden and Agriculture
“À travers les collines de Saint-Aubin” is a 13-kilometre walking route. It offers several viewpoints across the hills of Perche Sarthois. The stated distance gives the walking section a clear scope: you can plan it as a main activity for the day rather than treating it as a short stroll. The viewpoints and the route’s setting in the hills offer a different way to explore the area from a visit to the historic church.
The Jardin du Grand Sablon has its own visiting arrangements. It can be visited on the first weekend in June as part of “Rendez-vous au Jardin”, as well as by arrangement. As arrangements may change, confirm the date before your trip. If you already have a particular weekend in mind, this timing can help you plan your garden visit; it is not the same as being able to drop in at any time.
Visitors are welcomed among the pastures at Ferme All’Herbe. The cows live there all year round in a dynamic grazing system. The grain-growing area is also open to visitors, who can learn about three principles of soil-friendly farming: permanent soil cover, no soil disturbance and crop diversity. Tastings of products are also offered during visits. A visit to the farm therefore combines an insight into farming practices with a culinary element. Confirm the visiting arrangements before your trip.
Each attraction has a different focus: the church explores architectural and religious history; the walking route takes in the hills of Perche Sarthois; and Ferme All’Herbe focuses on pasture-based farming, soil-friendly agriculture and a tasting. The garden, meanwhile, can be planned around its June weekend or by arrangement. Choose according to the topics that interest you most, and take the relevant visiting arrangements into account.
Discover more destinations: Sainte-Sabine-Sur-Longève, Yvré-Lʼévêque, Brette-Les-Pins, Crannes-en-Champagne, Saint-Ouen-en-Belin, La Flèche, Montreuil-le-Chétif, Connerré
For the regional travel overview: Sarthe.
