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This was a trip in two parts. We had our sights set on a nice little castle about which we knew very little. But the photo looked nice, so it seemed like it was worthwhile to have a look. Now, we’ve done a good bit of travelling at this point in our lives, so you would think we are experienced enough to always do a reasonable amount of research on the place we are planning to visit. At least the basics: where it’s located, how long to get there, will we have to tip the Elvis impersonator – again. Oh, and also: will the damn thing be open when we get there!? Well, this time we forgot to confirm that last tiny, but crucial detail. And that’s why this turned into a two-day adventure.

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Only an hour’s travel east of Fougères, Château de Lassay has graced the Pays de Mayenne for over five and a half centuries. At the time (May) Cherie’s mother, Valerie, was still visiting. In fact it was her last full day in France before flying back home to the U.S. She was eager for one last adventure. And Lassay seemed just right for the occasion. So, off we packed, enjoying a scenic drive through the verdant countryside of Mayenne under impossibly blue skies.

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Due to the aforementioned lack of preparation, our first surprise was that Lassay-les-Châteaux is not just a castle. It comes with a town. And a beautiful one at that! How did we not know this? Lassay is, in fact, a Petite Cité de Caractère and was voted third place this year in the nationwide Village Préféré des Français – a poll choosing the best places to live and visit in France. The latter is a big deal here in France, culminating in a big television show for the final announcement. It’s a visible demonstration of just how much pride the French take in their towns and villages. And justifiably so. Lassay-les-Châteaux is beautiful. And this town had us fully under its spell from the moment we drove in. Lovely, classic french small town architecture from all ages, set along meandering and cozy streets, tranquille and well-tended gardens, all bundled within a charming natural setting. What more could you ask for?

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A castle! That’s what. And, wow!, they have a really good one. This 15th century beauty rests comfortably in the town’s western edge, watching over its inhabitants like some ancient mythical guardian. The three of us fetched up to the small car park in front of the castle, took a bit of a walkabout around its walls and then waltzed up to the gates – only to find out that it was closed. Doh! This was to be our second, rather less happy, surprise of the day.

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Denied access to the château, we sought the solace of lunch. At least the restaurants were open. As it happened, we chose badly. Our meal was quite mediocre. But at least it gave us the energy to carry on. Lassay-les-Châteaux is a great town for strolling and we enjoyed a long afternoon of admiring the beautiful street scenes on display.

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The center of town covers hillsides which wrap around a small stream that gently burbles its way along at the bottom. On either side of this stream there is a very nice park. One can have a pleasant, shaded walk there, soaking in the tranquility of a small town quite at ease with itself. In addition to the more formal flower garden, there is also an animal enclosure where locals keep chickens, geese, sheep and goats. Also on display are some impressively well-tended private vegetable and pleasure gardens lining one side of the stream.

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The day’s outing continued with a visit to another castle just a couple of minutes drive north of town. Château du Bois Thibault was also built in the 15th century. And, guess what? It was also closed that day. Right. Still, this wasn’t quite as harsh of a blow because Bois Thibault is a ruin so we were able to see much of it by walking around the exterior. It sits out alone in the countryside, still an impressive sentinel keeping watch over the northern approaches to Lassay-les-Châteaux. It is definitely worth seeing and we hope to return to it one day when it’s, you know, open.

Despite the disappointment of having the gates of, not one, but two castles locked against us, we still had a wonderful trip. However, revenge is a meal best served cold, but then microwaved and washed down with a nice glass of Côte du Rhône. [Or better yet, just skip the revenge (after all, it’s cold – yuck!) and go straight for the wine.] The point here is: Lassay-les-Châteaux is well worth a second look. And, more recently, after finishing up work on our holiday rental apartment, we finally got around to making our return.

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And this time the castle was open. Le Château de Lassay is privately owned; it’s our understanding that the family maintains residence within part of the complex. Across the street from it is what must have been a large barn. Now it is the ticket office and gift shop. Purchasing our tickets, we discovered that viewing the château is by group tour only. Neither one of us is a big fan of tours. The tour guides often rush their groups through areas where they don’t have a prepared talk. And, frankly, they most often focus on subjects that we find trivial and distracting. We much prefer to explore on our own and at our own pace. Still, getting to see a medieval castle on a tour is far better than not seeing it at all. A word of warning if you are planning to visit Lassay: they do not accept card payments. Cash only. It’s the 15th century, after all!

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Suffice it to say, the tour of the interior is absolutely well worth any misgivings you might harbor. Lassay is a beautiful castle, still substantially complete, and contains much to offer nearly anyone. If you’re a castle nerd like me, you might as well stand in a bucket of snails and call yourself Wilma if you were to pass on the chance to see it. [No offense to any of you named Wilma – or to snails.]

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While in Lassay, we had a nice lunch (at La Ruette on rue dAmbrières) and we discovered a series of medieval gardens just on the other side of the lake from the château. Lovely and tranquil. Plus, a further walk through town, taking in even more streetscapes. We love this place and we are sure to come back again and again. If you have the opportunity to visit, you really should do so. You won’t regret it.