Fresnay-sur-Sarthe is nested in the heart of the "Pays Maine Normand", territory covering a region delimited to the south by Beaumont-sur-Sarthe, the East by Mamers, the West by Sillé-le-Guillaume, and to the North by Alençon.

On the map below, the green colored zone represents the location of the "Pays Maine Normand" in the Sarthe Department

The "Alpes Mancelles"

This is where we can find the "Alpes Mancelles", consisting of several hills of various heights, covered of a heather "carpet"; the highest hills are called "Le Haut Fourché (217 meters above see level) and "Narbonne" (203 meters). They form natural panoramic view points from where we can see the Sarthe River and the village of Saint-Leonard-des-Bois below.

A legend says that the name of "Alpes Mancelles" originates from the VIIth Century, where two brothers (Cénéri and Cerenède) left the city of Rome to come back to Gaul. The two brothers crossed the Alps Mountains and decided not to stop walking until they meet landscapes looking identical to those they had seen in the Alps. Even with a quite low altitude (220 meters) compared with the Alps, they decided to stop in the "Alpes Mancelles", giving the name to that part of the region. Also, the village of St-Cenerei-le-Gerei was named by one of the two men. The name "Alpes Mancelles" has been continuously used by tourists, always surprised to see such a slope in that region !

La Sarthe River

The river has given her name to the Department; she has many surprises to offer to visitors : in less than 2 kilometers she changes from a mountain type river (in the "Alpes Mancelles") to a very quiet river where boating and fishing are very easy to practice.

Les forêts

Perseigne Forest - Royal property until 1791, the Perseigne Forest has been named by the Cesar legions that gave her the name of "Personia". The forest is an excellent place to watch the surrounding region because of the "Belvédère de Perseigne", highest point of the Sarthe Department (340 meters); by clear sky, we can even see the Cathedral of Le Mans, 45 kilometers far from there !

Sillé-le-Guillaume Forest - First property of the "Barons de Sillé", then of different seigniorial families, the Sille Forest has been bought in 1683 by King Louis the XIV, that gave it to the daughter of the "Duchesse de la Vallière". Seized par the Government in 1792, the forest became definitely a State property in 1925. One of its special points of interest is the lake of more than 40 hectares, situated in the heart of the forest and offering many outdoors and nautical activities.

Source :
Pays Maine Normand : Passion & Tradition, brochure publiée par l'Office du Tourisme de la Sarthe.

Maps : Nadine Gaine © 1999 - 2008