Cellé: Hiking and Heritage

Cellé offers a hiking opportunity through the Vendômois countryside on the Circuit de Vauvert à Cellé. The circular trail passes the Église Notre-Dame, which houses two distinct works of art. This brings together a specific route and a cultural highlight for your stay.

Hiking the Circuit de Vauvert à Cellé

The circular trail is 12 km long and rated easy. The stated starting point is 1 la Fontaine de la Gravelle in Cellé. Check this starting-point information locally before setting out. The route is marked with the PR® “barrette jaune” trail signs. As markings may change during route maintenance, you should also check the trail signs before setting off. The distance, difficulty rating and signage give you specific points of reference for planning the hike as part of your stay.

Cellé is part of the Perche Vendômois, which has numerous marked hiking trails. These range from short PR circular routes with yellow markings to the GRP du Perche Vendômois, marked in yellow and red. The Circuit follows a section of the GR de Pays du Perche Vendômois-Vallée du Loir. This means the individual hike can be considered both in terms of its own details and in the context of the regional trail network.

Along the route, the circular trail crosses a stone bridge before reaching the Église Notre-Dame. In Cellé, it passes the church on Rue du 11 novembre. The route also offers a view of the Château de Glatigny. The bridge, church and view of the château each give the hike a specific connection to its built or natural surroundings.

Works of art in the Église Notre-Dame

In the church’s north aisle is the funerary inscription “inscription funéraire de Dame Michel.” It is a depiction engraved in stone: a ciborium is positioned above a skull and bones. The funerary inscription was protected as an object in 1976. The subject, precise location and protected status describe different aspects of this work of art.

In the south aisle is the painting “tableau: Nativité.” It is an oil painting on a copper support. The attribution remains open to two possibilities: the work is either attributed to Hans Rottenhammer (1565–1625) or considered a copy after one of his works. The wording leaves both possibilities open; it does not claim a definitive authorship.

The two works can be distinguished by location, material and classification: the funerary inscription is in the north aisle and engraved in stone, while the painting is in the south aisle and painted on copper. Their subjects also differ: the title “Nativité” contrasts with a funerary inscription featuring a skull and bones. While the inscription was protected in 1976, it remains unclear whether the painting is attributed to Rottenhammer or is a copy after one of his works.

Discover more destinations: Thésée, La Ferté-Saint-Cyr, Josnes, Suèvres, La Chaussée-Saint-Victor, Orchaise, Mont-Près-Chambord, Montrouveau.

For the regional travel overview: Loir-Et-Cher.