Mamers - Saint-Nicolas

The village of Mamers originated from a Gallo-Roman settlement. It was first mentioned in the 6th and 7th centuries in the lives of the hermits Saint Rigomer and Saint Longis.

In 1171, Saosnois, where the village is located, passed into the hands of John I, Count of Alençon, and then, through marriage, into the hands of the Châtellerault, Harcourt, and Alençon families. During the Hundred Years' War, Mamers was destroyed by the army of the Count of Salisbury. The end of hostilities allowed for economic recovery and the beginning of reconstruction.

The Reformation and the religious struggles of the 16th century led to a new wave of violence and ruin. After the assassination of Henry III, Saosnois remained loyal to its master, Henry IV. In 1650, however, by which time Mamers had become an important center of the Reformed religion, the town was besieged and subsequently burned.

The building was constructed in the 13th century on the foundations of an old fortress. In the second half of the 14th century, it was extended to include the current Gothic nave and the bell tower was raised. The Renaissance portal was added in 1556. In 1590, the church, along with the rest of the town center, was burned down during the Wars of Religion by Huguenot troops under Pierre de Fontenay. The building was not restored until 1654 and 1659.