Reviews of Recent Outings

Saturday, 24th January 2026 – Visit to ‘Le Quarante’ and ‘Le Zoom’ in Laval

On Saturday 24 January 2026, 23 EuroMayenne members came together in Laval for the first visit of the year. The day combined culture, history, good food and science, beginning with a guided visit to the cultural centre Le Quarante, followed by lunch at Le Petit Périgord in the historic town centre, and ending with an afternoon at Laval’s Science Museum, Le Zoom.

Le Quarante – from banking powerhouse to cultural landmark

Our morning visit took us to Le Quarante, a striking and emblematic cultural centre where art, music and heritage now meet. We were guided by Stéphane Illand, Head of Laval’s Heritage Service, who led a special tour entitled ‘Du Crédit Foncier au Quarante‘. He explained how this imposing building, originally constructed between 1938 and 1944 to house the Crédit Foncier de France, was designed in a modern, functional style using reinforced concrete, with clean geometric lines typical of the period.

We learned how the name Le Quarante was chosen following public consultation, referring both to 40 rue du Britais and to the 1940s decade during which construction was completed. The transformation of this former banking institution into a contemporary cultural hub, completed in 2022, has been widely praised for its architectural sensitivity and urban integration.

One memorable moment came when we examined the historic lottery wheels once used for bond prize draws — prompting laughter when Susan jokingly called out, ‘I’ve won!‘ as the tiny numbered slips were revealed.

‘I really enjoyed the morning visit because it brings together the old and the new. It’s easy to access, free to enter, and full of possibilities for the future — especially with a good website to help people discover everything it offers.‘ — Anna D

Lunch at Le Petit Périgord

We then made our way to the historic heart of Laval for lunch at Le Petit Périgord, a well-known restaurant specialising in traditional French cuisine. Over a relaxed and convivial meal, members enjoyed the opportunity to chat, meet new faces, and deepen connections. As one participant put it:
‘It was nice to meet new people over lunch and get to know others a little more, discovering things in common.‘ Sara B

Le Zoom – comets and cosmic exploration

The afternoon continued at Le Zoom, Laval’s Science Museum, where we visited the temporary exhibition ‘Comètes‘, running until 26 April 2026.

Accessible and engaging, the exhibition explores the origins of comets, their composition, their role in the history of the solar system, and their place in human imagination. Visitors are taken on a journey alongside the European space mission Rosetta and its lander Philae, the first human-made object to land on a comet in 2014. One of our group commented:

‘I really enjoyed the Science Museum and reading about the whole of the Rosetta project.‘ Tony B

A warm start to the year bringing together heritage, shared experiences and discovery, this first EuroMayenne outing of 2026 set a friendly and engaging tone for the year ahead. With a blend of learning, laughter and lively conversation, the day offered something for everyone — and plenty to talk about on the journey home.

Le Quarante: