Parcé-sur-Sarthe

Parcé-sur-Sarthe is a commune in the Sarthe department in the region of Pays de la Loire in north-western France. The village is classified as a 'Petite Cité de Caractère de la Sarthe' and dates back to the 13th and 14th centuries. It is situated on a large meander of the River Sarthe. The village prospered because of its riverside location and in the 10th century, the village grew up around a small hill on which a castle was built. The tall bell tower of the Saint Pierre chapel was built to help orientate the pilgrims on the way to Saint-Jacques de Compostelle in Spain. Much of the town was destroyed in 1370 by the English at the end of the Hundred Year War. The old fortifications were used to rebuild the town in the 15th and 16th century and it is these attractive streets that we can wander round today. The tower of Saint Pierre is on the main square and is the dominant building on the square though the attractive church of Saint Martin is just nearby. Look inside the church as it still contains some of the decorative paint work that once upon a time covered the inside of many churches in France. Also to look out during your visit to Parcé-sur-Sarthe are the ancient stables, the ancient salt barn, the Chapelle aux Hommes and the turreted house. The Maison Pérottin has a round tower and a square tower and has served as the town prison in the past. Below the village centre the Sarth river meanders by and dominant on the river's edge is a large moulin (water mill) that once belonged to the famous French author and film producer Marcel Pagnol