Stamp - Sainte-Suzanne Mayenne

Set in a landscape of rolling green hills, the medieval town of Sainte-Suzanne, nicknamed the "Pearl of Maine", has forged its reputation as a rebel town through a singular history, which owes much to its geography. Perched on a rocky spur with steep slopes, on the edge of the Coëvrons mountains and the Anjou plain, the village overlooks the Erve River, which flows 70 meters below. In the Middle Ages, a belt of ramparts was added to this natural barrier to slow down attackers. William the Conqueror would come up against this obstacle. From 1083 to 1086, the Duke of Normandy and King of England laid siege to Sainte-Suzanne, held by Hubert de Beaumont, Viscount of Maine. From his keep, he valiantly resisted the Norman troops for four years. The viscount's tenacity finally won out over the English, who left the camp. Sainte-Suzanne will go down in history as the only city to resist William the Conqueror! The imposing 11th-century keep is still standing, as is the château dwelling, an elegant building of sandstone and tufa topped with slate, set on the edge of the cliff. It was built in the 17th century by Fouquet de La Varenne, a former minister of Henri IV, for Marguerite de France, known as "Queen Margot". It now houses the Coëvrons-Mayenne Architecture and Heritage Interpretation Centre. Still sheltered behind its ramparts, the village has preserved its medieval character along its cobbled streets, lined with stony facades and splashed with flowers. On the banks of the Erve River, the paper mill perpetuates a tradition dating back to the 13th century. This emblematic Mayenne town has been classified as a "Petite Cité de Caractère" (since 1992) and as one of the "Most Beautiful Villages in France", to the delight of its 350,000 annual visitors. Vincent Noyoux

Timbre et contour de feuille : création Raphaële Goineau d'ap. photos Constance Ferrand.