Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The chapel Saint-Hilaire-et-Saint-Eutrope de Verniette, located in the eponymous hamlet 2 km from Conlie, is a Romanesque building built in the 13th century. Its architecture is distinguished by a porch surmounted by a cross and a square bell tower above the entrance. Ranked a historic monument in 1946, it houses remarkable murals, including representations of the martyrdom of St. Lawrence and St. John the Baptist, preserved until today.

Verniette was once an independent parish, gathered at Conlie in 1802. The site is located at the intersection of two ancient ways: a road linking Conlie to the Gallo-Roman relay of Asnières, and a north-south Roman road from Sillé-le-Guillaume to Neuvy-en-Champagne. Near the "path Montois", a medieval road linking Le Mans to Mont-Saint-Michel, the chapel bears witness to the strategic importance of the place throughout the centuries.

In 2020, the city of Conlie and the Association of Verniette undertook work to restructure the garden adjacent to the chapel, with a view to revitalizing its attractiveness. A picnic table was set up nearby, highlighting the desire to enhance this local heritage while making it accessible to the public.

The chapel is owned by the commune and its classification by decree of 27 June 1946 specifically concerns the church of Verniette, including its architectural and decorative elements. Historical sources, such as the works of André Pioger or the Actus pontificum Cenomannis, confirm its anchoring in the religious and road history of the Sarthe.

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