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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

Notre-Dame-des-Champs Chapel is a former parish church located in Saint-Jean-d'Assé, Sarthe department, Pays de la Loire region. Originally dating from the 11th century, it was profoundly altered and enlarged in the 16th century. This monument, now classified, was originally the religious heart of the hamlet of Notre-Dame-des-Champs, an independent commune until its attachment to Saint-Jean-d-Assé in 1809. It is about 600 metres south of the present town.

Located on an ancient Roman way, the chapel played an important role as a stage on the path of pilgrims going from Mont-Saint-Michel to Saint-Jacques-de-Compostelle. This journey, which was very frequented in the Middle Ages, made this place a point of rest and prayer for travellers taking this long spiritual journey. The building still retains traces of this history, especially through its 16th century murals.

The chapel and its former cemetery, surrounded by crosses, were listed as historical monuments on 21 June 1976. This classification protects not only the building itself, but also the funerary elements surrounding it, demonstrating its heritage and religious importance. Today, the chapel belongs to the municipality of Saint John d'Assé and remains a significant remnant of local heritage.

Available sources, such as Wikipedia and Monumentum, highlight its dual heritage: both medieval worship and stop on a major pilgrimage route. Its architecture and location reflect this history, between parish tradition and the European dimension linked to Compostela.

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