Tucked away in the rural landscapes of north-west France, Saint-Aubin-des-Châteaux sits one hour from both Nantes and Rennes, yet it feels utterly remote and peaceful.
The road through the village winds down and around, past a church and a lake framed with graceful trees, giving away nothing of its rich history.
With around 1,765 residents, Saint-Aubin-des-Châteaux has the shops and services you’d expect – a café, bar-tabac and restaurant, bakery, doctor’s surgery, pharmacy and hairdresser’s – but it is also home to a surprising number of historical sites.
A standing stone and Templar traces
Archaeological traces show that the site has been inhabited since at least prehistoric times, and the standing stone, Menhir des Louères, is believed to date from the Neolithic era.
The Menhir des LouèresWikimedia Creative Commons / Selbymay
Perhaps more photogenic is the chapel of the Templar Knights – La Chapelle des Templiers – a remarkable building that dates from the 12th Century.
The village's main church was built in the 1860sAnnaliza Davis
Located down a side street, this rectangular chapel has a vaulted ceiling whose wooden framework was carved entirely by axe.
It’s a vast open space, free to enter and admire; if locked, you can request the key from a neighbouring house or from the Mairie.
The main church is a far grander construction, dating from the 1860s with stained glass from 1886 and a large bell that weighs a tonne: the original church bells were requisitioned during the French Revolution.
Wartime events
Between 1939 and 1941, more than 200 internment camps were opened in France, primarily to imprison any Communists or activists opposed to the German occupation; one of these, Camp de Choisel, was in nearby Châteaubriant.
The Templar chapel dates from the 12th CenturyAnnaliza Davis
On October 23, 1941, as a reprisal for a German officer killed in Nantes, 27 people from Camp de Choisel were assassinated, and their bodies buried in nine nearby cemeteries.
One of the victims, Jean-Pierre Timbaud, is the first name on the memorial to Heroes of the French Resistance in Paris’ Père Lachaise Cemetery. Timbaud’s body was buried in Saint-Aubin-des-Châteaux and even after the Liberation, his family refused to move him from his resting place.
A schoolteacher from Saint-Aubin, René Guy Cadou, witnessed the funeral lorry and later wrote a famous poem about the tragic event, Les fusillés de Chateaubriant.
Where are the châteaux?
The first mention of Saint-Aubin-des-Châteaux appears in 1183, and the real-life Saint Aubin was born in 469 AD in Vannes, 112 km to the east.
Even as a youngster, Aubin was extremely pious, becoming Abbot aged 35 and Bishop of Angers at 60. He held the post until the age of 80, dying one year later and becoming Patron Saint of Angers after several miracles were attributed to him.
A highly respected figure, more than 80 communes in France bear his name, so the Saint-Aubin element of the village name is easy to explain, however there are no ‘châteaux’ in this village.
In Roman times, a road passed through this village and it is believed that the Romans built several watchtowers and small forts that were colloquially known as châteaux.
Natural beauty and walking routes
Walk around the tranquil lakeAnnaliza Davis
As you drive through Saint-Aubin-des-Châteaux, you cannot miss the Bas du Tertre lake, framed by trees, greenery and tranquil fishermen.
You can walk around the lake, extending your circuit by following the sentier des étangs et calvaires, a 15km circuit that also leads around the Étang de la Hunaudière in Sion-les-Mines.
The site of an old forge, Hunaudière lake is a spot well worth stopping at for a rest, particularly if you time it to treat yourself at the crêperie L’Atelier Délices which overlooks the lake and will provide you with the sustenance you need to complete the walk!
