Chapel of the Little Saint-Céneri

The chapel was built towards the end of the 14th century or at the very beginning of the 15th on the site where Saint Céneri is said to have built his shelter. In Gothic style, it blends perfectly into the landscape.

About this building

The chapel was built on the site of an old oratory from the 12th century. Inside, to the left of the altar, there is a block of stone called "the saint's bed", in which some archaeologists have wanted to see a lying menhir. Its frame is made of chestnut, a wood commonly used in construction because it is rot-proof and repels spiders and other parasites. This type of framework is found in the nave and the choir of the church, the choir being covered with recently updated polychrome drawings.

Key Features

  • Monuments
  • Atmosphere / quiet space

Visitors information

  • Level access to the main areas

Other nearby buildings

Wikimedia Commons

Church of Saint-Léonard

Modestly sized church, once a place of pilgrimage known throughout France for several centuries, but which was devastated at the time of the Norman invasions. Inside, the church conceals several elements that are worth a visit: a 17th century polychrome terracotta sculpture of the "Dormition of the Virgin", a stained glass window depicting a miracle by Saint Leonard, and particularly well-preserved stained glass windows and wall frescoes.

Wikimedia Commons

Basilica of Notre-Dame

The Church of Our Lady, because of the importance of the pilgrimage in the footsteps of Saint Therese of the Child Jesus and her parents, Blessed Louis and Zélie Martin (who became saints in October 2015), was raised to the rank of basilica by Pope Benedict XVI in August 2009. Located in the heart of the city of Alençon, this church-basilica surprises by the richness of the message of its glass canopies, by the harmony of its Gothic nave as well as by the delicacy of the flamboyant decoration of its porch.

Notre-Dame Basilica, Alencon

The construction of the church began in 1356 and was completed in the 16th century. A fire in the 18th century led to the reconstruction of the choir, the transept and the bell tower.