N°9 : Le berceau des rillettes du Perche Sarthois

An eclectic tour offering a wide variety of heritage, from architecture to music to gastronomy, to nourish body and soul.

Along the back roads, discover the village of Connerré, the birthplace of rillettes and home to the Prunier company. Before leaving the village, pass by the church of Saint-Symphorien and the grounds of the Manoir de la Jatterie, an 18th-century bourgeois residence, preserved in its original state in a park surrounded by a period hedge.

The tour then takes you to Soulitré, where you can admire the church of Saint-Martin, the chapel of Sainte-Anne and the 15th-century private châteaux of Brusson and La Roche-Breslay.

Once you arrive in Le Breil-sur-Mérize, take in the Pescheray estate with its late medieval gatehouse, 16th-19th-century château, 16th-century dovecote and monumental 19th-century porch. You can also stop off at the zoo, set in a 90-hectare nature reserve.

Continue on to Bouloire, where you can admire the church of Saint-Georges, the chapel of Saint-Sébastien and, above all, the 15th-century château.

In Coudrecieux, the church of Saint-Martin-des-Loges, the Domaine de la Pierre and its 19th-century château and the 16th-century Manoir de la Cour with its vegetable garden are all worth a visit.

The tour then takes you to Saint-Michel-de-Chavaignes, where you can discover the 13th-century Château de Lassay and the Church of Saint-Michel.

A musical break awaits you in Dollon, where you can visit the mechanical music museum. Come and see the fascinating musical machines from all eras in action in a setting reminiscent of a 1930s café.

Continue your journey with a visit to the Church of Notre-Dame at Thorigné-sur-Dué.

- Follow signs n°9 (orange)
- Possible alternative route between Saint-Michel-de-Chavaignes and Le Breil-sur-Mérize: follow the unnumbered cycle signs.
- This loop is connected to circuits 8, 10 and 15.

The complete guide "Le Perche Sarthois à vélo" is available for €3 from tourist offices and bookshops in Sarthe.

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