Our history

Created under the 1901 Association law in 1982, the APPACAssociation pour la Promotion du Patrimoine d’Antrain et de son Canton (Association for the Promotion of the Heritage of Antrain and its District) was founded by Hubert Leray to face an alarming and urgent need. The prison of the city of Antrain, one of the most emblematic monuments of the city, was in such a poor state it was about to collapse. Despite all the efforts that have been gathered, the prison is still today in a state of ruins but many other buildings, such as the Martigné Gates, will be restored soon and put under the spotlights thanks to the association.

A few years later, the actions taken by the APPAC were extended to the district of Bazouges under the name Association pour la Promotion du Patrimoine de l’Antrainais et du Bazougeais, but the association kept its well-known acronym APPAC.

Until 1985, our association was mainly concentrated in thee region of Antrain, where it had been founded. Afterwards, it was decided that the APPAC would also help 8 other towns and villages in the region preserve their heritage; therefore, the association is also present in Bazouges-La-Pérouse, Chauvigné, La Fontenelle, Marcillé-Raoul, Noyal-sous-Bazouges, Rimou, Saint-Ouen-la-Rouërie and Saint-Rémy-du-Plain.

10 years after its creation, in 1991, the APPAC counted 80 volunteers, with Eric Arribard as President since 2004. Still today, our volunteers are greatly invested in their work, to help save and transmit our endangered, disappearing heritage.