FONTAINE-DANIEL, VILLAGE DE CARACTÈRE

Fontaine-Daniel is a clearing in the Salair woods, 4 km from the town of Mayenne, where Cistercian monks settled in 1205 from Clairmont Abbey on the outskirts of Laval. Sold as national property in 1791, the abbey was acquired by entrepreneurs who set up a spinning mill. Little by little, a harmony was created between the buildings steeped in history, the natural environment of rivers and forests, and the industrial establishment. The Vallée de Haute Mayenne tourist office and the Toiles de Mayenne factory are offering a two-part tour of the factory and the history of the village of Fontaine-Daniel, the two being intimately intertwined. Information/reservations at the Vallée de Haute Mayenne tourist office.