Le Belvédère des ToyèresYear of creation of the Normandie Maine Regional Nature Park
Normandy and
Pays de la Loire
Manche, Mayenne, Orne and Sarthe
including 10 in
the Alpes Mancelles
area
or 2,500 square km
Discover the Alpes Mancelles with Rémi Jardin,
environmental education and sustainable development coordinator
for the Normandie Maine Regional Nature Park!
The Normandie Maine Regional Nature Park is home to a multitude of exceptional natural sites. From the heights of the Normandy and Maine mountains, to the heart of the Domfront bocage, it offers a variety of unexpected landscapes and places. Among these are the Alpes Mancelles, situated in the heart of the Grand Ouest’s peaks.
The particularly steep relief inspired the name of this region, through which the river Sarthe flows and which has been shaped over the millennia. Extensive forests are home to a rich and protected fauna and flora. Small streams criss-crossing the surrounding plains offer pastoral and bucolic landscapes.
Sports enthusiasts will appreciate this natural setting for indulging in their favorite activity: hiking, mountain biking, fishing, canoeing, climbing, horseback riding or even bungee jumping are just some of the ideas on offer!
Panoramic view of the Toyères CanyonThe Normandie Maine Regional Nature Park is also a territory inhabited by craftsmen and producers passionate about know-how and taste. From ciders to juices, apples are a must in this region of orchards, but farm products such as meat and dairy products are not to be outdone! Several farms in the Alpes Mancelles offer tours, tastings and direct sales.
Cows in Saint-Léonard-des-Bois
Fresnay-sur-Sarthe market
Lodging in the Alpes Mancelles
View of the Alpes Mancelles
Cucurbits
Saint-Léonard-des-Bois and Haut-Fourché
La Porte Saint-Mathurin
Saint-Paul-le-Gaultier lake at sunset
The castle gate
Heart of the village of Saint-Céneri-le-GéreiThe Normandie Maine Regional Nature Park is, at last, a land of history. This history is told through the villages and their heritage. From Saint-Léonard-des-Bois to Ancinnes, via Moulins-le-Carbonnel and Bourg-le-Roi. From beautiful churches to manor houses and a rich vernacular heritage, come back in time and walk the steps of the past and relive, among other things, the epic of William the Conqueror.
The unique geology and landscapes of the Normandie Maine Regional Nature Park have motivated this territory to apply to UNESCO in November 2019 for the “UNESCO World Geopark” label.
The application is based on the Park’s geology, but also on aspects of its natural, cultural and intangible heritage. It was validated and definitively adopted in spring 2024. The Normandie Maine Regional Nature Park has therefore been awarded the “UNESCO World Geopark” label for 4 years from this date.
The Alpes Mancelles and their scree slopes perfectly illustrate this geological aspect, which is very present in the Park’s territory.
Stones in Saint-Léonard-des-Bois
