Église Saint-Martin de Mansigné, Romanesque church in the center of Mansigné, Sarthe, France
The église Saint-Martin de Mansigné is a Romanesque church from the 11th century, located in the center of the village of Mansigné, in the Sarthe department. It has a square bell tower with a pyramidal roof, a semicircular apse supported by medieval buttresses, and a north aisle added in the 16th century with pointed-arch windows.
The church was built in the 11th century and originally belonged to the church of Saint-Guingalois in Château-du-Loir. It was sold as national property during the Revolution in 1796, changed hands several times, and was eventually given to the municipality before undergoing restorations across the 16th, 19th, and 20th centuries.
The church is dedicated to Saint Martin, one of the most widely venerated saints in France, known for his generosity. Inside, two carved capitals stand out for their unusual imagery: one shows a figure killing a boar, and another shows two dogs chasing a rabbit.
The church sits in the center of Mansigné and is easy to reach on foot or by car, with free parking right next to the building. Access is free, and mornings are generally the best time to visit and explore the interior at a relaxed pace.
A local surgeon named Augustin Mersenne paid for much of the church's reconstruction in the 19th century and asked to be buried there. The gilded wooden altarpiece from the 17th century, showing the Resurrection of Christ, is attributed to a local craftsman and remains one of the most detailed works inside.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
