The town of Beaufort en Vallée boasts a particularly rich and diverse architectural and cultural heritage, bearing witness to the major milestones in the town's history.
Beaufort en Vallée has been awarded the "Villes et villages fleuris 3" (Towns and villages in bloom) label and boasts a rich heritage. Notre-Dame church has a nave and north aisle built in the late 15th and early 16th centuries. The Renaissance-style bell tower was completed in 1542. Most of the current building, such as the impressive neo-Gothic chevet, was rebuilt in the second half of the 19th century. Inside the church, the 41 stained glass windows featuring 652 figures, a major work by Parisian master glass artist Edouard Didron, mainly illustrate the life of the Virgin Mary. The Notre-Dame church in Beaufort-en-Vallée is part of the network of "welcoming churches in Anjou".
The Halles (covered market) has been located on what is now the Place Jeanne-de-Laval since the 14th century. It was the centre of trade, particularly for the hemp market (1842). Situated right in the heart of the town, the Halles now provide a venue for exhibitions, cultural programmes and town events.
The Château: In the 11th century, the Count of Anjou, Foulque Nerra, had a fortified castle built on this strategic site. In the mid-15th century, René 1 er d'Anjou acquired the castle and added a fourth octagonal tower, known as the "King René Tower". Ruined by the Wars of Religion, the fortress was dismantled in the 17th century. Its materials were used to reinforce the town's ramparts.
The Jeanne de Laval discovery trail invites you to explore the town and its thousand years of history: from the ruins of the castle to the Joseph-Denais museum, via the Place Jeanne de Laval, the Notre-Dame church, the covered market, the old hospital, the town houses... This walking trail, marked out by markers and lecterns, introduces you to the historical and architectural heritage of the former county town.
The Joseph DENAIS Museum is the last curiosity cabinet of the 19th century, the culmination of a humanist's dream. Lovers of fine art, archaeology, ethnography, natural history, encyclopaedic collections and unusual places are advised to visit it.
