Lassay-les-Chateaux travel guide

Visit Lassay-les-Chateaux (Pays de la Loire, France)

Lassay-les-Châteaux is a small town located in the department of Mayenne, which is in the region of Pays de la Loire, 90 kilometres from Le Mans and 50 kilometres from the historic town of Laval which is the chief town of Mayenne. Lassay is classified in France as a 'small town of character.'

Here you can still find the way of life of rural France, a small corner of the country just in the Mayenne region, but close to the Normandy border.

Explore Lassay-les-Châteaux

With narrow streets and small houses sympathetically restored Lassay-les-Châteaux is a place almost forgotten by the fast-moving modern world. Start your visit in the main square in the town centre, surrounded by granite townhouses, before venturing into the narrow streets around the centre.

France This Way review: Lassay-les-Chateaux is our favourite small town in the Mayenne department.

The castles

As the name of the town suggests, there are several castles in Lassay. The first is Castle Lassay, which was built in 1458 on the site of an earlier castle demolished during the Hundred Years War. It is a very sturdy and imposing castle that still retains the eight towers, the curtain walls, the Barbican and the two-storey gatehouse.

The castle belongs to the Monalembert family and is open to the public during the summer. Behind this beautiful building is a very beautiful garden and the castle well deserves a visit.

The second castle here, the Castle of Bois Thibault, is also on the site of a former castle destroyed during the Hundred Years War and rebuilt in the 15th century. The logis (accommodation building) and two round towers are the main parts that remain of this castle. The ruins of this castle are substantial and quite evocative.

Comment from Roger Ryder: Lassay Les Chateaux has THREE chateaux, Lassay Chateau, le Chateau Bois Thebault AND the Chateau Bois Frou. Although very little remains of the Chateau Bois Frou, to the north-west of the town, you can still see an impressive stone gateway.

The Rosery and Medieval Garden

The Rose Garden as the name says is full of many varieties of roses such as the beautiful 'Star Profusion' and 'Summer Wind'. Even in summer it is a very quiet garden and also a place that you will remember.

It is said that there are three hundred varieties of roses here - a real fairytale world. The garden includes two spaces and in the other part of the garden there are lots of trees and beautiful plants.

The medieval garden in Jublains is an authentic recreation of a typical garden of 500 years ago.

Other attractions...

Other interesting monuments in Lassay-les-Châteaux include the Benedictine convent and the church of Saint Fraimbault.

The town center of Lassay-les-Châteaux has two bakeries, two coffee shops, two restaurants, a small supermarket, a post office and even a large supermarket in the outskirts of the town, certainly everything you need for your visit.

Note: most of the comments above were kindly contributed by Janet Taylor

You can find more travel ideas in the Mayenne guide and the Pays de la Loire guide.