City of Laval

Laval, town of art and history – situated between Anjou, Normandy and Brittany, is a small town where life can be enjoyed to the full.

Religious monuments  Visit of :  The Cathedral  The Avesnières Basilica  The St Paul Church  The St Suplice Church

Roman spas at entrammes  A recent historical find were the Spas of Entrammes. Discovered in 1987 they can be dated back to the 3rd century. They are unusual in having kept their brick decorations. They were made up of four rooms - cold room, tepid room, steam room and then hot room. Paintings and statues decorated these rooms with great refinement. When the Roman Empire collapsed the building was transformed into a church in the 5th century.

Walk along "la grande rue"  This was the main street of the town, allowing people to go through the center, then cross the river Mayenne, with the protection of the castle. Protection, but also food, drinks and bedrooms as it was the commercial street. At the top of this street, you can see the beautiful house of the Grand Veneur.

Art naïf museum  Found in the Old Castle, this is the first International Museum for this kind of Art, with productions of many artists from this "Movement", like "le Douanier ROUSSEAU".

Garden of "la perrine"  Located in the up town, with a famous view all over the town and the river Mayenne, the garden of "La Perrine" is a calm and beautiful place.  Two museums are located in the garden: the Musée-Ecole de la Perrine with sculptures and paintings, and the Alain Gerbault museum with the sister chip of the Firecrest, the boat of this famous lonely navigator. The place were the boat is exposed, will give you also a beautiful view over the river Mayenne, the Old Castle, the Old bridge and the new one.

Washing boat  One of the last washing-boat in France.The museum explains the life of women who washed clothes in this place. You can also see the large coppers. the boat is located on the river Mayenne, on the Quai Paul Boudet.

Strolls on the mayenne river's banks  On the trace of sailors the tow path offers a long and peaceful stroll. From Mayenne to Montgiroux, you will make numerous discoveries on the 14.5 km of walk :  Spawning grounds at Brochets de Moulay, the shaded terrace of the restaurant "Beau Rivage", the ancien mill at la Roche and finally Montgiroux, dominated by its castle.