Le Château de Laval

Historic site and monument
Chapel
Castle
Castle
Keep
Archaeological site
Registered and listed sites
ZPPAUP

Place de La Trémoille, 53000 Laval

Le vieux chateau de Laval — ©
Laval Tourisme

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An emblematic monument in the city of Laval, the history and architecture of the château are revealed during guided tours. From the 12th-century chapel to the keep and its exceptional 13th-century framework, come and discover this place steeped in history that has evolved over the centuries.

Around 1020, Guy de Dénéré built his motte-and-bailey castle on the slopes of the hill overlooking the Mayenne, near the ford crossed by an ancient Roman road linking the Paris Basin to Brittany. The original earth-and-timber structure was replaced by a stone fortress, the centrepiece of which was a cylindrical keep built at the time when the lordship of Laval came under the political influence of the Capetians. This tower, 34 metres high, is crowned by a defensive gallery known as the ‘hourd’. It is one of the oldest timber-framed structures in France (1219–1221). During the Renaissance, under the impetus of Guy XVI, Peer of France and Governor of Brittany, the façade of the main building facing the courtyard was pierced with large windows adorned with rich tuffeau stone decoration. The motifs draw inspiration both from the French Gothic tradition and from antiquity, which had been rediscovered during the Italian Wars. In the mid-16th century, a pleasure gallery in a more classical architectural style was added to the north of the castle complex. Used as a prison during the French Revolution, the former residence of the Counts of Laval has, since 1967, housed Europe’s first museum of naïve art, inaugurated in honour of Le Douanier Rousseau. VISITING TIMES From February to December: Saturdays and Sundays at 3.00 pm and 4.30 pm During school holidays (Nantes school district) Tuesdays to Sundays at 3.00 pm and 4.30 pm Closed on public holidays (except 15 August) From 5 July to 31 August Guided tours at 3.00 pm and 4.30 pm Closed on Mondays and Sunday mornings On 15 August, the site is open from 2.00 pm to 6.00 pm ⚠️ No guided tours on weekends in January. The château remains open for visits to the MANAS. Admission: €6 / Free for jobseekers and under-26s Bookings can be made on 02 53 74 12 30 PRACTICAL INFORMATION: The château houses the Museum of Naïve Art and Singular Arts. It is open Tuesday to Saturday from 9.00 am to 12.00 pm and from 1.30 pm to 6.00 pm, and on Sundays from 2.00 pm to 6.00 pm. The site is closed on public holidays except on 15 August, when it is open from 2.00 pm to 6.00 pm.