MAYENNE HOLIDAY TRAVEL GUIDE

If your ideal holiday involves outdoor pursuits amidst peaceful, unspoilt countryside then the department of Mayenne in the region of Western Loire is the destination for you.

Bordered by the rocks and wooded hills of Alpes Mancelles in the north and the huge Parc Naturel Regional de Normandie et Maine, there is an abundance of wildlife and outdoor pursuits close by.

Mayenne is a fisherman’s paradise. The beautiful river from which the department takes its name offers hundreds of first class fishing locations.

Kayaking, rambling, cycling and bird-watching are all catered for along the meandering river, woodlands and agricultural countryside renowned for its cheese and apples.

Trappist monks in the abbey of Notre Dame du Port Salut near the capital and heritage town, Laval, are credited with inventing the cheese now associated with Brittany but which still bears their name. One theory even associates the department of Mayenne with the famous sauce “mayonnaise”.

If you need a break from Mayenne’s tranquillity, Le Mans in Sarthe, home of the legendary 24 hour car race and superb car museum, is only a short drive away.