Top 10 Things to do in Laval

By Celeste -wikimedia

Top 10 Things to do in Laval

Laval, France, is a true medieval gem in northwest France. It is a hidden gem that offers an authentic experience for anyone visiting. Tucked away on the banks of river Mayenne, Laval is an exciting place to visit with family or alone. (Not to be confused with Laval in Canada)

Laval is an hour and a half from west of Paris by train. There is a lot to see from countryside’s green pasture and hedgerows, a stop by the cheese shop, get souvenirs at the quirky antiques and clothes shops, see the Roman ruins at Jublains and the exquisite castle village of Sainte-Suzanne.

On a tour of the Centre-Ville you will see the timber-framed houses in their faded pastel colors and stately mansions. Take a walk by the beautiful riverside, go for a dinner cruise down the Mayenne in the boat Vallis Guidonis while sailing between the lights reflecting off the water.

Here are more detailed things to do while in Laval;

1. Tour of Château de Laval

By Romain Bréget – wikimedia

The Château de Laval was built in the 13th century and was later furnished in the 15th century. Centrally located in the historic old town, it is hard to miss this magnificent fortress from a distance.

Once there, you can enter the grounds from several points. There is one from down the street at the base that leads you to some well-manicured gardens. The other way in is through the old town section near the new château and cathedral.

It has massive walls with turreted tower. There is a lot of walking and climbing as you discover the history of the château. You are also able to get a panoramic view of the bridge, the river and the historic old city.

The inside of the château has a wooden framework at the donjon which is one of its kind in France. There are all kinds of artifacts to be seen and exhibitions at the gallery.

2. Walk Along the Promenade of Anne Laval

In the early 13th century, the city of Laval built its own system of fortification.
Later in the 15^th, a defensive wall was built around the castle, it got destroyed in the 19^th century and only two sections of the rampart stand today.

A walk along this rampart will lead you to the three towers of the southern ramparts that were previously hidden from visitors.

3. Visit the Naive Art Museum in Laval

Naive art is considered one that is created by an artist that has not had formal training that a professional artist gets. The museum was created to pay homage to Douanier Rousseau, following the donation from Jules Lefranc (naive painter). His work inspired artists such as Picasso.

It is located in the Château de Laval upper floor. Its open airy space lets you take in all the artists work with ease. The museum collects and protects the works of original self-taught artists from all over the world.

The Permanent Exhibitions at the museum showcases works of classic artists from Serbia, such as Sava Sekulić, Emerik Feješ, Vojislav Jakić, Milan Rašić, Pal Homonai, Bogosav Živković, Dragutin Aleksić, and many others from abroad.

4. Le Jardin De La Perrine

Par Celeste -wikimedia

Take some time off the tour and rest at this beautiful English-styled botanical garden. This is a perfect place for a picnic, reading a book under a tree, playing grounds for the kids.

The garden boasts a diversity of flowerbeds composed by gardeners from the city of Laval throughout the seasons.  There are also a variety of tree species providing good shade on a hot summer.

The open spaces and wide walking aisles, ponds and animals at the park (there is a horse riding school in there) fits a perfect plan for a family day out or a solo day out too.

Walk and fill your lungs with the sweet-smelling roses at the rose garden.

5. Go see the Lactopôle André-Besnier

This is the largest dairy museum in the world! A visit to this museum will tell you all that you need to know about milk, and its products specifically cheese.

This milk museum pays tribute to André-Besnier who started the milk business in 1933 and later formed a group Lactalis which is the largest milk and cheese producer in Europe.

It hosts aged churns from around the world and a display of vintage Camembert labels.

During your tour, you will be shown the evolution of milk processing from the basic processing practices of the 1950s to cutting-edge industrial developments as pioneered by the Lactalis Group today.

You will find a new appreciation of this product that makes the staple diet of many globally.

6. Le Bois Nature Activity Park

The park is located 3 km from Laval Force. It offers a number of activities that will keep you and your family or group activities while on vacation.

It is a perfect location for group activities. The park psyches you up for a team spirit. The competitive ones will have a fun day using both their mental and physical strengths tackling various challenging games.

Some activities you can choose range from; pony rides for kids, Acrobatic Courses in the trees, Giant Zip lines, Orientation Course, Archery Tag, boat or canoe trips on the river or Pony rides held in hand or on horseback supervised by an instructor.

Should you want to spend the night as well, there is accommodation available in the woods.

7. Walk on Pont Vieux Bridge

Par Romain Bréget — wikimedia

The bridge was built on the Mayenne River in Laval. It dates from the 13^th century and is the oldest bridge in the city.

The bridge provided access to Brittany and played an important strategic and commercial role in the Middle Ages.

While crossing the bridge, enjoy the amazing views of the River and the Château with trees planted each side. It is perfect for taking pictures too.

Pont Vieux has three arches; it was damaged during the emancipation of Laval in 1944 when it was partly blown up by the Germans.

8. A Tour of Laval Cathedral

By Manfred Heyde – wikimedia

Most of the churches built in the Middle Ages got ‘extension’ buildings or had other chapels built around it to form one huge church.

The cathedral has been listed as a monument historique by the French Ministry of Culture since 1840.

The oldest part is the nave, constructed in the 11th and 12th centuries with early Gothic vaulting.

There are six wonderful tapestries to admire in the nave, woven in the 1600s and showing images from the Old Testament book of Judith.

The northern arm of the transept branching off the nave is from the 1500s and designed in the renaissance style, as you can tell from the delicate plaster work in the ceiling of the dome.

9. Treat yourself to Crêpes and Galettes at Laval

Photo by Todd Cravens on Unsplash

Eating crêpes needs to be on your- to- do list while in Laval. Its restaurants are famed for their sweet crêpes and galettes.

They have creative toppings such as slow-roasted pork cheek with thyme sorbet. All the ingredients used are locally produced.

You could drop by Crêperie à La Folie Douce for some vegetarian options.

10. Cruise on River Mayenne

River Mayenne stretches over 124.2 miles (199.88 km) and there are boats for hire t cruise the river for a few days.  This is a fantastic opportunity to discover Laval while floating on the river.

As you cruise you will meet the lock keepers who will fill you in on the history of the land. On certain instances, you may not find the lock keeper and might have to navigate on your own, the boat hire company will orient you on all you need to know while on the water.

Along the way, you will find restaurants that you can stop by, shops and beautiful villages by the riverbanks.

To have a better experience in Laval, you could opt to walk, bike or use the bus. The train station is strategically located and one can get there by foot.

The public transport is most preferred. It is also important to note that most establishments close on Mondays.