Chapelle Notre-Dame-des-Bois de La Suze-sur-Sarthe

About

La Chapelle Notre-Dame-des-Bois, of the 12th century, is located to the south of the commune of La Suze-sur-Sarthe, in the department of Sarthe, near the departmental road 31, leading to Cerans-Foulletourte, at the place called La Chapelle.

History: The rare known elements of the Middle Ages date back to the fifth century. According to local custom, a hermit, living in the forest of Longaulnay, in the wood of Minclou, had fixed a statuette of the Virgin Mary, nicknamed Mariette, to the trunk of a tree, and many Christians came to visit it. As a place of worship, a chapel is built there. Its altar, it is said, rests on the stump of an old oak. It was not until the beginning of the 11th century that the lord of Roëzé-sur-Sarthe, Lodon, donated, among other things, this chapel to the Benedictines of the Abbey of the Couture du Mans. From that date, the "Mariette des Bois" became part of the priory of Roëzé-sur-Sarthe, dependent on the said Abbey. One of the priors remains in the chapel. During the 16th century, the priory fell under the regime of commende. Some kings of France from the Valois branch, who often come hunting in the forest of Longaulnay, had to come and pray in this place...