It originates from the département of the Sarthe, in the Pays de la Loire region, and is named for the town and commune of La Flèche in that area, not far from the capital of the Sarthe, Le Mans.

The breed was once famous for the fine quality of its meat; since the Second World War, numbers have fallen very low.

[7] Many authors date the origins of the La Flèche breed to the fifteenth century.

[8] In 2011 a rescue project was launched by the Conservatoire des races animales en Pays de la Loire, the regional animal breed conservation body of the Pays de la Loire region.

[2] Hens may lay about 180 white eggs per year, with an average weight of 60 g.[11]: 50 This poultry article is a stub.