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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The chapel Sainte-Cécile, located in Flée in the Sarthe (Land of the Loire), is an ancient parish church built in the late 11th or early 12th century. It once belonged to the village of Sainte-Cécile, attached to Flée in 1807. His choir underwent several changes between the 14th and 19th centuries, reflecting architectural and liturgical developments over nearly six centuries.

Classified as a historic monument since December 21, 1984, the chapel houses a remarkable movable heritage: two carved limestone altarpieces dated 1757, attributed to the sculptor Lebrun, as well as a altarpiece, all classified in 1989. These elements illustrate the religious art of the eighteenth century, while frescoes discovered in 1928, representing the offering of Cain and Abel, bear witness to the decorative richness of the twelfth century.

Since 2002, the association Les Amis de Sainte-Cécile works for the restoration and animation of the site, organizing concerts, evening-contes and visits during the European Heritage Days. This monument, a communal property, remains a place of memory and culture, integrated into the living heritage network of the Conseil départemental de la Sarthe.

Architecturally, the chapel is distinguished by its simple plan with a single nave and flat bedside. Its decoration combines carved stone (table of the Ascension framed by columns with capitals) and medieval murals, offering an artistic panorama from the Middle Ages to the modern era. Historical sources, such as the heritage of the Sarthe communes (Flohic, 2000), underline its importance in the local religious landscape.

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