Laval

Laval grew beside the River Mayenne beneath the castle of its lords, whose great tower overlooks the old crossing and the town. The family of Laval held lands on the border of Maine and Brittany, and their residence became a centre of power in western France. In the sixteenth century the castle was transformed into a princely residence, reflecting the wealth and standing of its owners.

English forces took Laval during the Hundred Years' War, but the town returned to French control in 1429. That year Charles VII raised the lordship to a county in recognition of the family's loyalty. In October 1793 the Vendéan army, campaigning north of the Loire, defeated Republican troops and occupied Laval. The river town again became a centre of war as armies and refugees moved through western France.