Village Center and Cobblestone Streets

The centre of Saint-Céneri-le-Gérei is small enough to cross in a few minutes, but it rewards a slow walk. The village lies in the Orne department of lower Normandy, in a bend of the River Sarthe, within the Normandie-Maine regional nature park and close to the borders of Mayenne and Sarthe. It has been classified among the Plus Beaux Villages de France since 1983, and its centre has changed little over the generations: a handful of lanes paved with stone setts, grey granite houses with slate roofs, a stone bridge across the river and a church and chapel half hidden by trees.

The walk begins at the parking area at the edge of the village, which is large enough for cars and campervans, since the roads into the village are narrow and the centre is for pedestrians. From there, the lanes lead down towards the river and the bridge. Along the way, you pass houses that were once inns and farmhouses and are now galleries, craft workshops and small restaurants. The Auberge des sœurs Moisy, a former inn, now houses the tourist information office, which opens from April to September and offers maps and advice on walks in the surrounding area.

The village owes much of its fame to painters. From the middle of the nineteenth century, artists came here to paint outdoors, in front of the landscape, rather than in the studio, a practice called painting from the motif. Camille Corot was one of the first to stay in the village, and others followed, including Paul Saïn, who painted here and became associated with the place. They lodged at inns such as the Auberge des sœurs Moisy and the Auberge des peintres, and some of them left paintings on the walls in payment for their stay. The inns continued to welcome artists, and the tradition of painting the river, the bridge and the rocks is still alive, with easels set up along the banks on summer days.

At the top of the village, the Romanesque church, dating from the twelfth century, holds old wall paintings that have survived the centuries, and the ruins of the castle linked with the Giroie family can be seen near the town hall. A short path leads to a small chapel associated with Saint Céneri, the hermit who is said to have settled here in the seventh century, with a spring that pilgrims have long visited. Below, the Sarthe runs between rocks and woods, and footpaths follow it through the Gorges de la Sarthe, with views of the river and the limestone and sandstone outcrops.

The village is quiet outside the main season, and in July and August it fills with day visitors, so the best moments for a stroll are the morning and the late afternoon. It suits walkers, painters, photographers and anyone looking for a calm village with a clear historic character. Alençon, the nearest large town, lies a short drive to the east. Wear shoes suitable for cobbles and uneven paths, and bring a camera.