Château de la Grande Courbe in Neau

Start at Neau station, on the Laval–Le Mans line. Park in the nearby dirt car park.

(S/E) Head down towards the village centre via Rue de la Gare.

(1) Cross the junction with traffic lights then continue straight on to Place de l’Église. Pass the town hall, then the church. The road crosses the Jouanne, a river that feeds a lake visible on the left. Then walk past a large lime kiln before leaving the village.

(2) On leaving Neau, continue along the Route du Louard (D140) for 360 m.

(3) Take the first path on the right. This passes in front of the Bois Gaudin farm.

(4) Just after the farm, take the track on the left. This sunken lane is typical of the Mayenne countryside. On the left, you can see Mont Rochard and its mast in places. Cross the Ruisseau de Châtres via a wooden bridge, then walk past the old Couleuvreau farm.

(5) At the end of the path, turn right, leaving Les Laurencières on your right, and you’ll reach the Route de la Motte (D557).

(6) Turn right towards the hamlet. This hamlet is part of Saint-Christophe-du-Luat and stands on the site of an ancient feudal motte that belonged to the barony of Sainte-Suzanne.

(7) At the three-way junction with the rubbish bins, turn right. The road passes in front of the old watermill at La Motte and crosses the Ruisseau de Châtres before reaching La Grande Courbe.

(8) You can visit the castle grounds during opening hours, or view part of the building from the road. To continue the route, take the Chemin de la Chevalerie on the right just after the Maison du Bois Dormant (signposted). This tree-lined path leads onto a track running alongside the railway line.

(9) Turn right onto this path to reach the road (D32) and the level crossing.

(10) Take the road on the left, cross the level crossing with care, and just after that, take a small road on the right which leads directly back to Neau station after passing by old limestone quarries, a resource that is still mined in Neau. Return to the car park (S/E).

Neau station is served by several trains a day on weekdays from Laval and Le Mans. No service on Sundays and public holidays.

The village of Neau has a small grocery shop and a hotel-restaurant.

The route mainly follows quiet country lanes and footpaths that are accessible all year round. The Chemin de la Chevalerie, lined with ponds, can however be muddy depending on the season and weather: make sure you wear sturdy shoes or even boots.

The Church of Saint-Vigor in Neau, modified in the 19th century with the addition of a bell tower, dates from the 12th and 15th centuries. It was once part of a priory. Inside, you can admire beautiful medieval frescoes, ancient tombstones and a Baroque altarpiece.

Lime has been mined industrially in Mayenne since the early 19th century. Neau is one of the last places where this activity continues to this day. In the past, blocks of limestone were placed in lime kilns, where a shaft allowed them to be fired at very high temperatures. The resulting quicklime fell through a small opening.

The Château de la Grande Courbe comprises a large 13th-century hall, incorporated into later structures built between the 14th and 16th centuries. Converted into a farm after the Revolution, the château has been restored since the 1960s. It is open to the public free of charge in July and on a few days in September; the tour allows visitors to see the gardens, recreated in the medieval style, and several restored rooms.

Nearby lies an ancient medieval dwelling, Les Murailles, accompanied by a feudal motte. Both are privately owned but can be glimpsed through the trees in winter by taking the grassy path that runs alongside the château.