LOCAL
ATTRACTIONS
Bagnoles–de-l’Orne
A lovely spa town built around a lake, with hotels shops, restaurants, swimming baths and a golf course. Quite the place to be seen, with many cultural events happening throughout the summer months.
la Ferte Mace
Nestling in a lovely spot in the heart of Normandie-Maine Regional Nature Park is the 28-hectare La Ferté-Macé lake offers water-based activities such as swimming, pedalo boating, windsurfing, canoeing, kayaking and fishing, as well as a children's playground, volleyball, boules, mini-golf, a climbing wall and footpath around the lake
Carrouges Chateau
A magnificent residence situated on a 10 hectare estate, surrounded by a moat. With its priceless collection of antique furniture dating from the Renaissance up to the 19th century, you cannot fail to be impressed by its grand design. In the 1st weekend in August the chateau hosts a Hunting & Fishing festival, with hound packs and hunting horns. A very colourful and noisy event
Lassay les Chateaux
A quaint town, dominated by its fortified castle built in the 14th and 15th centuries. Wander through the picturesque narrow streets, stop for a look at one of the many wash-houses, and admire the statues that embellish the granite houses along your way. This is also a great place to chill out, with a good selection of bars and restaurants and if you like fishing, the town has two lakes that you can fish by permit, available at very reasonable rates.
Mayenne
The town is known for its castle and riverside walks, and the surrounding area for its cider. You’ll find a good selection of shops in the town and the tourist office is set on stilts on the St-Martin bank of the river, and below it you can hire bikes and motor-boats in season.
Fougeres
Slightly further afield, but still an easy drive away, the main reason to visit is to see its magnificent castle, one of the finest fortresses in Europe, but this town on the Brittany-Normandy border, also has a lovely medieval district and a lively Saturday-morning market.
Mont St – Michel UNESCO World Heritage Site
A magical island topped by a gravity defying medieval monastery in a breathtaking bay. For centuries one of Europe’s major pilgrimage destinations. One of France’s most stunning sites. A must see.
Suisse Normande
A very distinctive area known as ‘little Switzerland’ that is a paradise for sport and nature lovers. As well as walking & hiking other activities available include, fishing, canoeing and kayaking, climbing, abseiling & horseriding. The children can enjoy mini golf, 2 leisure swimming pools (Thury Harcourt and Condé on Noireau) and horse-drawn carriage rides.
Caen
The capital and largest city in Lower Normandy is home to the Abbey of Saint-Étienne, also known as Abbaye aux Hommes a former Benedictine monastery founded in 1063 by William the Conqueror and is a wonderful Romanesque monument, well worth a visit. It’s also a good place to shop.
Bayeux
With its magnificent cathedral, world-famous tapestry, museums and British war cemetery there are plenty of things to see and do in this small intimate city