Sainte-Suzanne

Sainte-Suzanne, in the Mayenne, is a medieval town perched on a rocky spur overlooking the Erve valley. Nicknamed the "Pearl of Maine", it is labelled Petite Cité de Caractère and ranked among the Most Beautiful Villages of France. Since 2016, the commune has borne the name Sainte-Suzanne-et-Chammes.

The castle, owned by the département, includes an eleventh-century Romanesque keep, ramparts offering views over the Coëvrons countryside and a seventeenth-century lodging. It houses the interpretation centre for architecture and heritage. The major episode of local history is the unsuccessful siege led by William the Conqueror from 1083 to 1087; the remains of the Anglo-Norman entrenched camp survive.

In the heart of the town, the Auditoire museum retraces more than 3,000 years of local history, from the Celtic period to today. At the foot of the ramparts, the Promenade de la Poterne offers fine views over the valley.

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