Poligné is a commune of Ille-et-Vilaine in Brittany, 30 km south of Rennes, on the road to Nantes.
The seat of a small seigneury since the Middle Ages, Poligné has always remained attached to the territory of the Redones (Celtic people whose name has remained in the cities of Rennes and Redon).
Becoming over the centuries a popular stopover for the travelers rallying Nantes, the locality was long associated with its neighbor of Crevin, to the north. It is an autonomous parish only since 1838 and an independent municipality that since 1890.
Agricultural and artisanal activity helped to preserve a green environment, and after having suffered from rural exodus, Poligné regained a certain demographic vitality (nearly 1,200 inhabitants compared with 500 in the early 1980s). The proximity of the Rennes metropolis also explains this phenomenon.
Rich of an interesting historical and natural heritage, Poligné is a pleasant stage in the country of the Portes of Brittany.
In terms of built historical heritage, we will first focus on the Saint-Donatien-Saint-Rogatien church. Of Romanesque origin (14th century), it was widely reworked between the end of the 15th and the 17th century. The west rosette and eight stained-glass windows date from the beginning of the 20th century and the bell tower was restored in 1918. New works were initiated after the Second World War: lateral altarpieces were suppressed and replaced by new altars. But these successive restoration campaigns have not erased old traces (framing elements, ogival openings). Inside, there is an 18th century wooden Christ in the choir, and polychrome statues of Saint Anne (17th century), Saint Joseph and a statue in waxed wood of Saint Dominic.
Also to be seen on the town, a statue of the Virgin installed on the site of an old mill. On the same site, from the eighteenth to the nineteenth century, a tower of the optical telegraph was erected.
A walk in the village also allows to admire a timbered house of the seventeenth century and a magnificent post office near the river (so that horses can drink...).
On the level of the eponymous hamlet, the mill and the bridge of Roudun deserve a detour. The castle of Bois-Glaume, rebuilt in the 18th century on the remains of a medieval castle which was the seat of the old châtellenie, the territory where the lord did justice (in this case, Guillaume Of Poligné, in the twelfth century). The current residential and classic building has been restored by the current owner who has transformed it into a tourist establishment. A chapel and an ancient gate are to be seen in the park. Information on +33 2 99 43 83 05.
However, the great curiosity of Poligné is natural: it is the Tertre Gris site, straddling the communes of Pancé, Poligné and Pléchâtel. It is accessed via a sloping path in the middle of the woods. At the top, one enjoys a view of the river Semnon that spans a bridge of the eighteenth century whose three arches are schist. The Tertre's interest is geological: a hillock of white sandstones and black argillaceous rocks rich in organic matter. It is also a legendary place. The inhabitants have long thought that it was a volcano because of the thick black smoke that sometimes emerged (especially after the First World War). In fact, it is a phenomenon of spontaneous combustion of organic matter after extraction.
A pedestrian circuit and a cycling loop have been designed which include these various historical or natural sites (a marked trail leading up to the Gray Terrane). Information on +33 2 99 43 98 69. Other routes including the territory of Poligné are also available. Information on +33 2 99 43 98 69.
For a tennis match, contact the local club on +33 2 99 44 80 54.
Finally, for fishing enthusiasts, advice on suitable places and regulations is available on +33 2 99 22 81 80.
On the 3rd Saturday in May, the Poli'Sons festival offers a series of free concerts in a convivial atmosphere (rock style). Ludic entertainment in parallel.
On the second Saturday of September, the Polinéades are a festive and intergenerational event (treasure hunt, sound and light show, etc.).
