Here are some interesting places to visit in the area. Scroll down the page to view all the information.
Click on a location photo to link you to the Tourist Office website
The local tourist Bocage-Mayennais is open throughout the year with offices in Gorron,
Colombiers-Du-Plessis, Ambrière-les-Vallées and Pontmain.
This region of France is famous for its Cheese, Cider and Calvados and you can visit the orchards, learn about the production and enjoy tasting the local produce. For more details visit the Mayenne Tourism site here.
Essential guide to Normandy Cheeses
Based at La Martinière the number of possible cycle routes and walks are endless. Helen is a keen walker and can suggest a wide variety of walks with you. We have very quiet backroads through rolling countryside, So as you cycle you will pass cows grazing, cider orchards and small villages where you can stop to eat and explore.
Not far from us at Domfront is the Route Véloscénie, a dedicated traffic free cycle route from Paris to Mont-Saint-Michel. Starting from Domfront the route to Mont-Saint-Michel is 80km.
Click on the photo to view the Véloscénie website.
We can arrange bicycle rental.
We have secure storage to keep your bikes over night, whilst you have a good nights sleep ready for your next day adventure.
Gorron is our local market town, 7 km from La Martinière.
You will find a variety of shops which should cover your needs.
Supermarket and Fuel Station - Super U
Mini Supermarket in the main street
Small food market Wednesday mornings
Banks with ATM - Credit Mutuel and Credit Agricole
2x Boulangerie
Butchers
Pharmacy
Bar Tabac
Newsagent and Tabac
Estate Agents
DIY Store - La Maison.Fr
Self service Laundrette - between Super U and the fuel station
Bars and Restaurants
Small gift, Art and Clothing Shops
Cinema
Indoor Swimming Pool
Doctors Surgery
Dentist
Optician
Gendarmerie
Generally markets are open from 8.00am to 2.00pm.
We have been to many of the markets listed, but not all.
Some markets are small the ones we recommend are larger, with a good variety of stalls.
Markets marked with a * we recommend.
Rennes ** market (1 hr 15mins. drive) is France’s 2nd largest gastronomic market and highly recommended
MONDAY - Mayenne
TUESDAY - Ernée Landivy Laval * Villedieu-les-Poêles * Sourdeval Bagnole-de-L’Orne
WEDNESDAY - Gorron St. Hilaire–Du-Harcouet *
Lassay le Chateau Laval * Flers
THURSDAY - Le Teilleul Chateau Gontier
FRIDAY - Domfront * Fougerolles-du-Plessis Vire
SATURDAY - Fougères * Rennes ** Ambrières-les-Vallées
Bagnole-de-L’Orne Mortain Mayenne
If like us you enjoy great food, we can recommend a number of restaurants, bistros and cafés in the area to suit all tastes and budgets. In our gîtes manuals, we list a selection of restaurants with a brief outline of what type of food they serve, plus price range and a telephone number.
For food lovers we have discovered Michelin* and Fine Dining restaurants if you are looking for classic French cuisine. Travel towards the Normandy and Brittany coast to find the freshest sea food. Oysters, mussels etc. which were only collected that morning. For an excellent lunch at bargain prices, go to where the locals enjoy their 'Plat de Jour'. Usually costing 14€ per person, offering 3 or 4 course lunch including wine or cider. Or you perhaps you just fancy a pizza or galettes and crêpes.
Please ask us and we will happily discuss the variety of choices that we have discovered.
The Normandy region was made infamous on the 6th June 1944 with the D-Day landings, the following Battle for Normandy which ended when the Allies crossed the River Seine at the end of August 1944.
The whole area around, but mainly north of La Martinière was the battle ground of the Allied Offensive and German defence.
The D-Day beaches of Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno and Sword are about 2 hours north from here. Throughout the region there are numerous museums to visit covering different facets of the sea and airborne landings, the cemeteries for both Allies and Germans and numerous routes to follow to discover the history of this important period in history.
I am very interested in military history and will discuss and assist you to discover places to visit.
France Landline/Fixe: +33 (0) 2 43 03 30 62 France Mobile/Portatif: +33 (0) 7 80 33 37 38
2 La Martinière, 53120 St. Aubin Fosse Louvain, France
SIRET No. 891 639 643 R.C.S. Laval