THINGS TO SEE AND DO
Explore the markets, lakes and more
Le Moulin is in the little village of Désertines, in the town of Gorron, the Mayenne department of the Pays de la Loire. For those who like to explore, it is an ideal base from which to travel to other places of interest. There are weekly markets in the surrounding towns; the one in Gorron is on a Wednesday morning - get there early!
You will find plenty of public parks with floral displays, boating lakes, countryside walks, Centres de Loisirs, where you can hire bicycles, go hiking along adventure trails or, for the more intrepid, try kayaking or the high wire walks through the treetops!
Discover French Nature
For those with a penchant for all things nature based, the area has a plethora of flora and fauna, from the rollings fields of maize in the summer months to the banks of apple and pear trees, chestnut trees and wild flowers.
The red squirrel - one of many protected mammals in France - is one creature that has sought refuge here and can sometimes be spotted going about its daily routine...
There are plenty of activities to see and do in our area of France and its surrounding regions. Please click on the activity to be taken to the website for more information. (Mayenne Tourisme is also a good source of info - click here for their website)
Activities
Centre de Loisirs de la Colmont (en route to Gorron) - for bicycle hire, adventure trails, high wire
Surrounding areas: Cider museum - a lovely family-run business where cider, poire (pear), pommeau and calvados is made
Ange Michel parc d’attractions - amusement park with water slides and an assortment of rides (open mid-April to September)
Fosse Arthour - for climbing (based in Domfront en Poiraie)
Jardins de Renaudines - floral park in Mayenne with a tea room and grand maze
Jardin de la Perrine - located in Laval, a botanical garden with The Roserie, The Orangery, The Rousseau Tomb, The Basin, The Alley of Linden Trees and the Ginko Bilboa to name a few. Also a children's playground, duck pond, goats, an aviary of exotic birds and a pigeon aviary
Velo Rail - this flowery village invites you for an unusual stroll, at the heart of a hedged farmland path on the old railway line connecting Laval to Caen, a draisine will take you for 6 kms (round trip)
Eating Out
Cafés
There are great, cosy cafes within a short drive from where we are based in Desertines; a great crêperie, Le Petit Monde in Fontaine Daniel, right by a lovely lake. Explore the many cafes in Mayenne, Ernée, Fougères and surrounding areas
Restaurants
Locally, I would suggest Papillon in Gorron, a little further afield, La Forge in Fontaine Daniel; on one of its good days, Le Bretagne in Fougères; L'Eveil des Sens in Mayenne; gorgeous eats at A l'Ardoise in St Hilaire du Harcouet and my latest find, L'Essentiel in Laval, excellent food and great service. By all means, check out the surrounding areas too. (Always contact your choice of eaterie before you head out!)
With its abundance of roaming cattle, the restaurants (and, indeed, the supermarkets) in Pays de Loire are stocked with a stunning array of meat with which to create dishes – mouthwatering steaks, veal, local saucisse and the Normandy speciality, tripe, if you choose to do some experimenting in our wonderful kitchens.
Vegetarians can also choose from a vast selection of creamy cheeses and risottos, omelettes and tarts, freshly picked mushrooms and wonderful seafood – oysters, coquilles St Jacques, lobster and langoustines.
Vegans will delight in sampling seasonal produce cooked with the connoisseur in mind - mushroom bourguignon, crêpes, ratatouille...
Swimming
Over the years, I have travelled from our base at Le Moulin with my two children, checking out all the local pools and aquabulles. An aquabulle/aquatis is great fun, with indoor/outdoor pools, slides, jets and some with diving pools
Bowling, Go Karting
Strike Club - bowling in Fougères
Cap Form - multi activity space with bowling and karting in Laval
Shopping
Provisions
Fougerolles du Plessis, Gorron, Ernée, Flers, Caen, surrounding areas
Fashion and Clothing
Mayenne, Laval, Alençon, Rennes
Cinema
Tennis
There are several 'courts de tennis' in the surrounding areas
Gorron, Saint Fraimbault, Levaré, Montaudin, Mayenne, Fougères, Mantilly, Lassay les Chateaux to name a few.
Kayaking, Mini Golf, Horse Riding, Swin Golf, Casino, Spas
A lot of our neighbouring areas:
Centre de Loisirs de la Colmont (en route to Gorron) - kayaking, swin and mini golf
Bagnoles de l'Orne - casino
Dinard - golf
Fougères - bowling
St Denis de Gastines, Juvigny sous Andaine - horse riding
La Michaudiere - an equestrian spectacle with draft horses, Norman Cobs, Percherons and Bretons in Juvigny sous Andaine. A typical Bocage Normand farm located in themiddle of a very beautiful orchard of centry-old pear trees
Museums, Castles, Churches
Gorron
Domfront (a local historical town)
Fougères (home to the largest castle in Europe and once the home of the kings of Brittany)
Avranches
St Denis de Gastines
Granville; and surroundings
