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Origin and history

The cross of Mesnil-Sauvage is a cross of road erected at the place called Le Mesnil-Sauvage, in the commune of Sainte-Marie-Outre-l'Eau, in the department of Calvados. Dating from the first half of the seventeenth century, it is located at the edge of the departmental road 307, about 1.5 km east of the parish church, in the direction of Pont-Belanger. This modest monument, typical of the Normandy countryside, probably served as a religious landmark or symbol for travellers and locals.

The cross was listed as historical monuments by order of 4 October 1932, thereby recognizing its heritage value. Owned by the commune, it illustrates the rural Christian architecture of the modern period. The cross-roads, frequent in Normandy, played a role both spiritual and practical, often marking crossroads or territorial boundaries. Their presence also reflected the importance of the Catholic religion in the daily life of rural communities.

Available sources, including Wikipedia and Monumentum, confirm its status as a protected monument and its precise location in Calvados. Although little documented in detail, this cross bears witness to the religious and historical heritage of Lower Normandy, now integrated into the Normandy administrative region. Its conservation status and accessibility are not specified in current data.

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