The best road cycling routes around Saint-Ellier-Les-Bois

The Gateys National Cemetery is a French military cemetery located in Saint-Nicolas-des-Bois. . Address: 81 L'Ermitage, 61250 Saint-Nicolas-des-Bois . This memorial, located in the heart of the Écouves Forest, contains the graves of 19 soldiers of General Leclerc's 2nd Armored Division (DB), who died for France during the fighting for the liberation of Alençon and the Orne department in August 1944. . The cemetery was inaugurated on August 15, 1989. The remains of the soldiers, initially buried in various municipal cemeteries in the Orne department, were grouped together there. Latin crosses, Muslim headstones, and Stars of David are found there, reflecting the diverse origins of the soldiers of the 2nd Armored Division.

Riding up there by bike was quite strenuous, but the view from the top was worth the effort. It was well worth it.

This church was built in the 16th century. It was remodeled and enlarged starting in 1850 (with the construction of chapels, the choir, and the sacristy). The Heritage Foundation organized a fundraiser for the restoration of the church: the purpose of the fundraiser is to restore the exterior of the church (stained glass windows and bell tower), as well as the interior (altarpiece, master paintings, baptismal font, fixing the pews to the floor, Stations of the Cross). The cost of this work is estimated at approximately €70,000. February 9, 2022: Renovation work on the church building completed, carried out by the Beauvain History and Heritage Association (restoration of the altarpieces, stained glass windows, baptismal font, as well as the roof, bell tower, clock mechanism, the Calvary on the Rock, the church door, and the heating system).

In 1874, the project for a new church was born, at the instigation of Father Macé, then vicar, who had the municipality and even the priest against him. The nave, however, was completed in 1878, the tower the following year, the consecration took place in 1881. The building is constructed of local granite, also in Romanesque style but its axis is perpendicular to that of the old one, the entrance towards the road to Carrouges-La Ferté. The nave is supported by ten granite pillars made from a single piece and 2 m. high. The only treasure is the altar decoration, Louis XIII, given by Father Dufriche-Desgenettes to his friend Father Lapierre. Father Husson made the furnishings of the sacristy and the church with his own hands: stalls, confessionals, pulpit. Burned by bombing on August 14, 1944, the church was unusable. In 1953, after extensive restoration, religious services were reinstated, and two years later, the three bells were replaced, along with the stained-glass windows themselves. Those in the choir depict the life of Saint John the Baptist, the patron saint; four smaller ones depict the four chapels of Joué (La Raîtière, Le Bel, St-Jacques, and St-Roch) with the coats of arms of the founding families. A lintel bearing the Le Verrier coat of arms, taken from the seigneurial chapel dedicated to Saints Hubert and Suzanne in the church, was incorporated into the tower's masonry; this lintel was designed in La Chaux, by the Count of Contades.

The church dates from the 13th and 16th centuries. The bell tower, porch, transept, and choir have been listed as historic monuments since December 22, 1927.

2 perforations visible on the 12th photo of the Sherman M4A2 "Valois"

An endless false flat. Remember to carry water because there's nothing to refuel.

Very beautiful castle. The outside area is very interesting and a nice walk. Unfortunately I didn't see the inside of the castle. The bicycle parking area is behind the archway on the inside on the right.