St Samson

About

Be sure to visit the rural hamlet of Saint-Samson, a quiet spot in the country with a chapel, a menhir and a fountain. The chapel, constructed between 1575 and 1631, is a superb example of the Beaumanoir style of architecture. The Beaumanoirs were a family of architects based in the area around the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. According to legend, the menhir, built around 3,000 years ago, has virtuous powers. Men and women used to come to rub themselves against it in order to increase their virility or fertility. The fountain, for its part, was said to have healing powers, prompting those with illnesses to visit.