Attractions and Places To See around Marcilly - Top 20

A bridge with a long history! Even the Romans passed along here! And at the end of World War II, American troops passed through here to liberate France. Today, people make pilgrimages past the bridge on their way to Mont St. Michel.

At the end of the old town, in the extension of Place Daniel Huet, the old square was reorganized into three areas. To the south of the square, according to the plans of the former Bishop of Avranches, 21 trees with hawthorn stems were planted near a children's playground. Faithful to the plan of the archaeologist who excavated the site in the 1970s, the architect realized the nave of the cathedral with a low granite wall crowned with an oak crossbeam on which one could sit. The tombstone commemorating the penance of King Henri Plantagenêt was replaced in the place of the north portal. A triple arcade in Corten steel 6 meters high symbolizes the main gate of the disappeared building and two faceted masts 33 meters high, the towers. Like sentinels or a signal over the bay, these masts are also and above all enormous lightning rods, which the city did not have. The overhanging forecourt offers a breathtaking panoramic view of the bay and the Sée valley. Free access. https://www.wikimanche.fr/Square_Thomas-Becket_(Avranches)

Montgommery Castle was built in the 17th century by the Montgommery family, prominent Protestants involved in the death of King Henry II of France. The castle is Renaissance style, with a terrace, a balcony and a chapel dedicated to Saint Marguerite. You can explore the castle and its surroundings, and learn more about its history and architecture. You can also play a game of Ducey-Code, a live investigation game that mixes puzzles and history in the castle. The castle is open from Wednesday to Sunday, from 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.

The “Pont de Pontaubault” is a beautiful work of art, the construction of which dates back to the 15th century. It is the first bridge to cross the Sélune, between Saint-Quentin-sur-le-Homme (right bank) and Pontaubault (left bank). It is located on the old road from Avranches to Rennes, via Saint-James. Since the arrival of the A84 motorway it has mainly been used locally. The bridge has eleven arches and is built with stone masonry. There is a picnic area at the bridge, near the railway viaduct of the Caen-Rennes line, not far from the salt meadows where sheep graze. During big tides many spectators and kayakers come to enjoy the spectacle provided by the tide. The bridge has a rich history. It was bombed several times during World War II but withstood these attacks, allowing 100,000 men and 1,500 vehicles to cross. A memorial plaque recalls that "the fate of the war lay on this bridge".

Friendly cafe at the entrance of the city next to the bridge

The old Notre-Dame des Champs church was located, as its name suggests, outside the city, to the south. This very simple church, known from a photo and a few engravings, dates from the end of the 17th century. Having become too small and work becoming necessary, the idea was accepted, around 1855, of constructing a new building, especially after the collapse of the Saint-André cathedral. Plans and an estimate were drawn up by the architect Nicolas Théberge, architect from La Manche and “child of the parish”. We also owe the latter other buildings in the neo-Gothic style such as Saint-Patrice du Teilleul in 1851, Saint-Hilaire-du-Harcouët in 1855, Saint-Pair de Sartilly or Sainte-Croix de Saint-Lô in 1860. However, it was not until April 12, 1863 to witness the laying of the first stone. The "neo-Gothic" style decided on by the architect involves the construction of a building with bold proportions that completely break with those of the modest church that we wish to replace. The means of the city and the parish were insufficient, especially since the reconstruction of Saint-Gervais had been very expensive, and in 1865 the mayor of Avranches and the archpriest traveled to Paris to seek help state finance. This long-requested aid was not finally granted until 1876 and the consecration of the church by Bishop Germain took place on November 13, 1892. The slow construction of the building was marred by many sometimes tragic events such as, in 1868, the death of a twenty-seven-year-old mason who fell from the height of the rose window where he was working. The architect Théberge, who died in 1866, was replaced by Cheftel. Delayed by the First World War, which mobilized all the workforce, the two towers of the facade were completed between 1926 and 1937; at this time, the large organs were also installed, the wind tunnel of which immediately benefited from electricity. In June 1944, the church was seriously damaged by a fire following the bombardment of the city. Restoration work lasted several years and the reopening to worship only took place in February 1962. The church is in the form of a nave with a façade with two towers (unfinished arrows), a projecting transept, and an ambulatory choir with an axial chapel (never built)1. The church had been provided with a set of windows signed Duhamel-Marette, destroyed by the bombings of 1944

At the end of the old town, in the extension of Place Daniel Huet, the old square has been reorganized into three spaces. To the south of the square, as on the plans of the former bishop of Avranches, 21 trees, hawthorns on stems, have been planted near a children's play area. Faithful to the plan provided by the archaeologist who excavated the site in the 1970s, the architect materialized the nave of the cathedral with a low granite wall topped with an oak crosspiece on which to sit. The funerary slab, which commemorates the penance of King Henri Plantagenêt, has been replaced at the location of the north portal. A triple arcade in Corten steel 6 meters high symbolizes the main door of the building that has disappeared and two faceted masts of 33 meters, the towers. Like watchmen or a signal over the bay, these masts are also and above all formidable lightning rods which the city did not have. In front, overhanging, the forecourt offers a breathtaking panoramic view of the bay and the Sée valley. Free access. https://www.wikimanche.fr/Square_Thomas-Becket_(Avranches)

Montgommery Castle was rebuilt in the 17th century. At the beginning of the 16th century, the castle took the name of the Montgommery family. Famous, Gabriel I of Montgommery, owner of the castle, took part in the rue Saint-Antoine tournament and, by bad luck, mortally wounded King Henri II in the eye. Interestingly, this did not result in his own death. It was his conversion to Protestantism that led to his execution and the confiscation of his castle. Two years after his death, Henry III authorized Gabriel I de Montgommery's son, Gabriel II, to reoccupy the castle.