ROU-MARSON

The commune of Rou-Marson is the result of the merger of three villages: Rou, Riou and Marson, brought together by royal decree in 1846. Known as the "Capital of Fouée", Rou-Marson boasts a rich historical and natural heritage, including Romanesque churches, a neo-Renaissance castle, troglodytic dwellings, wash-houses, a botanical trail and aquatic environments rich in biodiversity...

Located along the ancient Roman road leading from Saumur to Doué-la-Fontaine, the two villages of Rou and Riou share the same etymology: their names come from the Latin rivus, meaning "stream", no doubt due to the proximity of several small watercourses. Marson probably owes its name to its pond: the ancient linguistic root marr, meaning a body of water.

In the Middle Ages, each of the three villages had its own manorial castle. Nothing remains of it in Rou, and a tower in partial ruins in Riou. The neo-Renaissance château at Marson was rebuilt in the 19th century on the foundations of the old medieval fortress. The building, a miniature replica of the Château d'Azay-le-Rideau, was designed by architect Charles Joly Leterme. In the 1930s, an Art Deco swimming pool, adorned with mosaics, was built in the grounds of the château.

The small Romanesque churches of Rou (Saint-Sulpice) and Marson (Sainte-Croix) have a rustic yet harmonious architecture. Both have a simple bell tower-wall.

In Rou-Marson, water is king and the wash-houses are called fountains. Each village has its own: the Rou fountain, the Balloire fountain in Riou and the Godebert fountain in Marson. These wetlands are home to a wealth of vegetation, which can be seen on the panels of the local botanical trail. There is also an 8km walking trail to discover the secret charms of this village.

The Marson pond is surrounded by a succession of reed beds, oak woods and clearings. These provide shelter and food for a wide variety of animal and plant species, some of which are now protected. This natural environment is also a strategic breeding ground for amphibians. A "crapauduc" has been built to enable amphibians to cross the road alongside the pond safely during their annual migration to breed.