Louresse-Rochemenier

Here, the imagination reigns supreme: the ancient settlement, twice as large underground as above ground; the vanished hamlet of Varenne; the newly discovered Carolingian cemetery; the strange serenity of the Chapel of Sainte-Emérance; or even the reference to the ‘realm of the wolves’ in the origin of the town’s name… The authors were certainly spot on! Discover a land of mysteries in Louresse-Rochemenier more than anywhere else.

Rochemenier and Louresse were originally two separate towns, the first written records of which date back to the 12th century. For Louresse, in 1224, we find ‘luparicia’, from the Latin ‘lupus’, meaning ‘wolf’, with the suffix ‘ariccia’ referring to the ‘realm of the wolves’. As for Rochemenier, the ancient form given in texts from 1238 is ‘rupes mainerii’, with ‘rupes’ understood to mean a cavern or cave.
On the edge of the Milly Forest, between the plains and the underground passages, humans and wolves share the same territory. In 813, Charlemagne established the wolf-hunting corps, and the practice of hunting wolves continued for thousands of years. Within the parish, the locality known as La Fosse-aux-Loups also harks back to those ancient times.

Rochemenier is a troglodytic village, and the original settlement, hewn into the limestone of the plain, is twice as large as the above-ground village. Farms and outbuildings are now open to visitors: the Rochemenier Cave Village opens around twenty rooms to the public and covers more than one hectare. The site offers visitors the chance to explore an underground chapel and a modernised troglodytic house. These caverns echo another name given to the village in the 16th century: ‘roca minori’, meaning ‘the house below’!

The underground passages have been inhabited since the Early Middle Ages, and remains from this period have recently been unearthed. Archaeologists have discovered a building used for religious and funerary purposes, containing numerous burials – particularly of children – dating back to the Carolingian period. Conversely, all that remains from the Neolithic period today is the Pierre Couverte dolmen, whereas in the 19th century numerous menhirs and dolmens had been recorded within the commune’s boundaries.

In Rochemenier, built over the cellars, stands the Church of Sainte-Madeleine and Saint-Jean, formerly dedicated to Sainte-Emérance, whose cult has been present in Anjou since the 13th century. She was particularly invoked for stomach ailments; this was the case in 1472 when Louis XI was seized by abdominal pain whilst hunting in the Forest of Longuenée. Part of the ‘Églises Accueillantes en Anjou’ network, this simple, austere building is well worth a visit. The whitewashed walls and the floor covered with gravestones lend it a very special atmosphere.

During the Wars of Religion, the hamlet of Varenne was destroyed. All that remains visible today, standing amidst the fields, are the ruins of the gable wall of the old church. These remains, acquired by the local council in 2009, have been restored; the gateway is considered exceptional and the whole site has been listed as a Historic Monument since 1977. Nearby, the Château du Pont-de-Varenne dates from the 15th century and features a chapel (16th century) and a moat.

No overview of Louresse-Rochemenier’s heritage would be complete without mentioning the Cavier windmills. Some lie in ruins, but others are still in working order, such as the Moulin Gouré, which, following restoration, welcomes visitors by appointment.