Cadran solaire de la Groirie, Stone sundial monument in Yvré-l'Évêque, France
The Cadran solaire de la Groirie is a stone monument carved with thirty different sundials across its surfaces. The structure stands approximately 2.80 meters tall, with the south face containing the highest concentration of dials, including a book-shaped carved block that serves as a gnomon for eight timekeeping surfaces.
The sundial was originally installed at Château de la Groirie in Trangé during the 17th century before being moved to its current location. It received official historical monument status in 2002.
The Latin inscriptions on the sundial show medieval scholarly traditions and beliefs about light and wisdom. You can read these texts on the northern face when you visit the monument.
The south side offers the best view of most of the dials and is a good starting point for viewing the monument. Different faces become visible at different times of day depending on sunlight, so morning or afternoon visits reveal different details.
Each side of the monument functions at different times of day because the dials are oriented for various sun positions throughout the year. The east and west faces each feature three concave dials that allow for subtle variations in measuring time.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
