In Tuffé, you can explore several aspects of the area’s heritage: the Abbaye de Tuffé offers visits to the abbey buildings and gardens, a circular trail highlights key elements of the town’s history, and two permanent exhibitions at the former station focus on the railway and the landscapes of the Perche Sarthois. The attractions differ considerably in subject and format. To plan your visit, you can start by deciding whether you would like your stay to focus on the abbey, a trail through local history, or an exhibition topic.
Abbey and the heritage of the Perche Sarthois
The Abbaye de Tuffé offers self-guided and guided visits to its abbey buildings and gardens. As opening is seasonal, check whether visits are possible during your travel dates before setting out. The abbey also hosts events and workshops about the heritage of the Perche Sarthois. The programme may vary by season, so also check which activities are scheduled for your preferred dates. This will help you choose between visiting the site and planning your stay around a suitable event or workshop.
Explore local history on foot
The Parcours-découverte de Tuffé-Val-de-la-Chéronne is a circular trail approximately 2.4 km long. It introduces key elements of Tuffé’s heritage, covering a period from the Middle Ages to the 20th century. Its approximate length and historical focus provide two concrete points to consider when planning: you can treat the loop as a trail in its own right while keeping in mind the different periods it covers. Signage and digital materials may change.
A 3.7 km extension of the trail goes around the lake and as far as the privately owned Château de Chéronne. This distance refers to the extension and is separate from the approximately 2.4 km loop. The extension therefore has its own length and leads to a private destination. As some sections cross private land, check access before your trip. When choosing between the two trail options, consider whether you have the loop or the described extension in mind; the distances should not be confused.
Two exhibitions at the former station
Two permanent exhibitions at Tuffé’s former station are free to visit. Access arrangements may change, so check them before your visit. The exhibition “Tuffé, une minute d’arrêt” is about the railway, particularly the history of the Mamers–Saint-Calais line. Tuffé station was on this line. The exhibition therefore focuses on railway history and the station’s historical connection to the route.
“Paysage en R’évolution” explores the diversity of the Perche Sarthois landscapes and how they have changed over time and through human intervention. The exhibition features richly illustrated panels, digital information stations and several objects. Presentation details may change. Its subject extends beyond a single place: the focus is on the different landscapes of the Perche Sarthois and how they have evolved, rather than solely on the former railway connection.
The focus of each exhibition can help you decide which to visit: “Tuffé, une minute d’arrêt” is about the railway and the line on which the station stood; “Paysage en R’évolution” explores landscapes and how they have changed. This can help you tailor your visit to the former station to your interests, whether they lie more in railway history or in the evolution of a landscape.
Discover more destinations: La Chartre-Sur-Le-Loir, Épineu-le-Chevreuil, Vallon-sur-Gée, Ballon, Montaillé, Auvers-le-Hamon, Piacé, Moncé-en-Belin.
For the full travel overview: Sarthe.
