Mayenne a pinch of this & that
Mayenne is in the Pays de la Loire. It takes a pinch of influence from its neighbours the Loire Valley, Normandy and Brittany and then it adds a little je ne sais quoi of its own. For instance, it has its own microclimate which means its warmer than Normandy. And there's the lovely city of Laval through which the river Mayenne sways, and where the chateau of the lords of Laval set the tone for mellow ancient buildings with black slate roofs. And a whole lot more...
Les slowly days Mayenne
The tourist office of Mayenne takes as its theme "les slowly days" - and there's a reason for that,. This is a place where you can relax and chill out, eat the most fabulous food, meander at markets, visit chateaux and incredible art museums and more. And, the best way to do it is - slowly. No rushing, no stressing, just take it easy and have a fabulous time.
Laval city of Art and History
Laval is in the centre of Mayenne and it only takes an hour and forty minutes to get there from Paris by train (with just 2 stops). It’s the sort of small city where you can walk everywhere quite easily. It’s a designated “town of art and history” and very pretty.
The fabulous Laval Market
Food is important to the people of Mayenne, they are passionate about seasonal and local produce - just nip to the Saturday morning market to see what I mean.
On market day, the queue for fresh cooked bread at La Maison Du Pain in Place de la Trémoille where the market is based, just keeps growing. The locals know that it's worth the wait.
Great steaming vats of paella, roasted chickens and huge bowls of buttery new potatoes stop you in your tracks. Jet black shiny mussels are bagged up by vendors at a rate of knots, shaded from the sun under blue and white striped awning, the salty scent of the sea fills the air. Plump Oysters from Cancale are fast emptied from baskets on stalls as savvy locals buy weekend delicacies fresh from the sea.