Land of History
30,000 years to discover
Ready for a journey through the centuries?
It all starts 30,000 years ago in the caves at Saulges, with an underground walk to the heart of the refuge used by the prehistoric hunters of Western France. Then a leap straight into the Middle Ages. A superb rebel fortress, Sainte-Suzanne bravely and gloriously repelled the attacks of William the Conqueror.
Jublains, Roman capital
Welcome to the early centuries of the first millennium, to ancient Noviodunum, in the heart of the Gallic lands of the Aulerques Diablinthes. The thermal springs with hot and cold pools, the vast theatre with its tiers of seats, the streets laid out to a checkerboard plan and the strange fortress, everything has been preserved. The Mayenne Archaeological Museum brings the ancient city to life with videos and an exhibition of the archaeological discoveries.
The Basilica at Evron
A jewel of Mediaeval architecture, the impressive basilica of Notre-Dame de l’Epine wavers between the Romanesque and Gothic styles, all part of its charm. Dating from the 11th century, it has retained its square tower, its crypt and its superb nave, wide enough to accommodate the many pilgrims who came to worship the relics of the Virgin. In the mid-13th century, the monks of Evron began to rebuild it. This is why the choir, the ambulatory and the radiating chapels celebrate the Gothic style. The columns carry carvings which tell the life of the Virgin and the windows above date from the 15th century.
