Lavernat: Chestnut Groves, Forest Trails and History
Accommodation in Lavernat
Chestnut groves, forest trails in the Forêt de Bercé and the Église Saint-Pierre give you specific starting points for planning a trip to Lavernat. There is also the Fête du Nouzillard, celebrated in Lavernat every year in early November. Nature, architectural history and chestnut traditions each offer a different focus. If you decide in advance which interests matter most to you, you can plan your stay around what you value most in a destination.
Chestnut groves and their former use
The Sarthe Department owns and maintains the chestnut groves of Guillaumeries and La Naillerie in Lavernat. The ENS des châtaigneraies de la Naillerie et des Guillaumeries is a former orchard used for chestnut production, with Nouzillard chestnut trees, and is located near the A 28 motorway. At the site, the Department owns around 3 hectares, where approximately 85 old Nouzillard chestnut trees grow. This makes it possible to understand chestnuts both as a former use of the landscape and through the specific stock of old trees. The Nouzillard name makes this connection particularly tangible.
Forest trails and architectural history
After leaving the village, the circular route “Lavernat – Aux portes de Bercé” runs mostly along forest roads and trails through changing areas of deciduous and coniferous woodland in the Forêt de Bercé. The change between forest types gives the route a clear focus on nature. The circular route “Aux portes de Bercé” offers a different perspective on local history: in Lavernat, it passes the Église Saint-Pierre. Parts of the church date from the 11th and 16th centuries. These different periods of construction make a history spanning several centuries tangible, rather than assigning the entire building to a single era. Forest landscapes and architectural history thus offer different themes to choose from for your trip.
Chestnut traditions and the time of year
The Fête du Nouzillard is celebrated in Lavernat every year in early November. In the surrounding area, chestnuts were formerly sold as “marrons” at the markets in Mayet and elsewhere in the region. These two details offer different perspectives on time and place: in Lavernat, an annual festival features on the calendar, while the market sales belong to an earlier tradition. If you would like to plan your stay around the Fête, check the date for your travel year.
Tailor your stay to your interests
When looking for a holiday rental in Lavernat, you can first consider which focus you would like your stay to have: forest trails and chestnut trees, architectural history at the Église Saint-Pierre, or the November festival. The Fête provides a seasonal framework, while the circular routes offer their own points of interest for nature and history enthusiasts. If you are travelling with children, you can discuss together which of these themes appeals most to your group. This way, you can link your choice of holiday rental to the kind of trip you want and, if the festival is important to you, to the right time of year.
Discover more destinations
Discover more destinations: La Bruere Sur Loir, Saint-Gervais-en-Belin, Saint-Aubin-Des-Coudrais, Arnage, Luché-Pringé, Montfort-Le-Gesnois, Dissay-Sous-Courcillon, La Bosse.
For the overview of the wider region: Sarthe.
