Laval is a medieval town and a former princely residence. In addition to the impressive castle, there are two extraordinary museums here, the Museum of Naive Art and the world's largest Museum of Cheese and Milk.
Founded in the Middle Ages, the city quickly grew into a thriving commercial and administrative center of the region. It was the seat of the dukes of Laval, whose residence was successively expanded and changed along with the changing trends of the castle. Today it is the most important monument and the main attraction of Laval. In addition to the walls of the former fortress, you can visit its interior, which houses the Museum of Naive Art. It is one of the most valuable collections of primitivism in the world.
Around the castle there is a nice old town with preserved half-timbered houses. Among the houses is the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity, and the remains of the old city walls is the Beucheresse Gate, in the tower of which the painter Henri Rousseau was born.
Admire the beautiful view of the Mayenne valley from the Perrine Park, which is located next to the former city walls. For centuries it has been a land where cattle graze and produce excellent cheeses. The park itself is also very picturesque, with cedar trees, lemon trees and magnolias. The biggest attractions of Laval include the Museum of Cheese and Milk, Lactopole Andre Besnier, related to the dairy production in the area. It is the largest museum of its kind in the world and you can learn all about dairy production there.
