Whilst the majority of the houses that we sell are in and around the Lower Normandy area and approximately 100km from our base here in Sourdeval, Manche 50, we have been increasingly asked to market properties that are further afield and just across the border into the Mayenne department.
Mayenne is a town itself and department (number 53) with approximately 12,000 inhabitants. It comes under the region of the Pay de la Loire. It is landlocked (although the famous bay of Mont St Michel is 90km away) and finds itself surrounded by other departments of the Manche, Orne in Normandy, Sarthe and Maine et Loire in Pays de le Loire and L’Ille-et-Vilaine in Brittany.
It is fairly flat and 80% of the region is agricultural. It is stunningly beautiful with an abundance of châteaux. There are so many to mention but we must, of course, give a nod to one which has Suzanne’s name on it! Château du Saint Suzanne no less! This is situated 40km from Laval and it is famed for being the only strong hold that William the Conqueror failed to take.
Other châteaux that you may wish to visit are Château de Laval, Château de Lassay, Château Gontier and the Château that has featured on UK and French television – Château de la Motte Husson (although this is not open to the general public) which you can take photos of outside.
It is also a fishers paradise with many lakes and the river of Oudon which runs through this region. You can also take a cruise along this river and view the wonderful scenery. Like most of the beautiful regions of France, there are cycle paths to explore and, in particular, one called La Vélo Francette which runs for a whopping 600km!
It should also come as no surprise then, that this department is also famed for its cider making capabilities as well as the local regional produce of butter and cheese such as Port Salut and Bon Mayennais – Mayenne’s own version of Camembert. You will be able to sample all of this department’s culinary delights at the various local markets. The most famous, and arguably the best in France, is Château Gontier. Mayenne’s tourism website describes it best here:
“In Château-Gontier sur Mayenne, the market (on Thursdays) is reminiscent of the era of the great cattle fairs. In the shadow of the impressive Basilica, this lively market is a thousand years old. The Craon market (on Mondays) is spread around the market hall just as it was in the past. In Ernée (on Tuesdays), the market makes heart of the city beat. The market in Mayenne (Mondays), it is the meeting place the whole of the Haute-Mayenne district.”
Mayenne also has the TGV train that takes you in to Paris, Montparnesse in just 1 hour 30 minutes! That is faster than any of our other locations and could be ideal if you wished to commute and live in beautiful, unspoilt countryside. Did you also know that the Mayenne has a micro climate of its own which means that is warmer than Normandy?!
The capital of the Mayenne is Laval which boasts a Science Park sharing its expertise and knowledge for education, research and start-up purposes. Unsurprisingly then, it also hosts an annual festival of science (La Fête de la Science) at the Zoom museum providing visitors with education and interactive facilities.
Laval is a wonderful, charming medieval town which is a delight to walk around. It has the most amazing markets as mentioned above, boutiques, restaurants and is rich in culture and history. It was the birthplace of the famous painter Henri Rousseau and his works of art can be found in The Museum of Naive Art and in the stunning Château du Laval which has the largest collection in France.
Whilst on the subject of art, a visit to the Museum of Robert Tatin is an absolute must for stunning sculptures, giant statues and architecture in gorgeous outdoor surroundings. A French artist who took his inspiration from South America, in particular Brazil, which is clearly evident in his works of art. A must for all the family.
We hope you enjoyed this little insight into everything that the Mayenne has to offer and all relevant links are below.
Château de Laval – Laval Tourism Website
