Cathedral of the Holy Trinity

You’ve now reached the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity. At first glance its facade may surprise you, because it doesn’t look like the grand Gothic cathedrals you might expect. And there’s a reason for that: it was transformed and expanded over the course of nearly a thousand years. Each era left its mark, turning it into a true open-air book of architecture. It all began around 1070, when monks from the Abbey of La Couture in Le Mans built a simple chapel here, attached to the small monastery of Pritz. In 1160 it became Laval’s parish church, and that’s when they added a high ceiling with supporting arches, known as the Angevin or Plantagenet Gothic style. These high ceilings are impressive, and they’re among the oldest of their kind in the region. The prosperity of Laval’s merchants later left its mark too: between the late 15th and 16th centuries, the church was expanded with a north wing, right at the transition from flamboyant Gothic to Renaissance, which shows clearly in its shapes and decoration. In the 17th century, during the Counter-Reformation, the interior was enriched with large altarpieces designed to impress worshippers. The most spectacular is the main altarpiece, attributed to Pierre Corbineau in 1638, a towering wall of carved and gilded wood that you can admire inside. Then came the 19th century. In 1855 Laval finally became the seat of a bishopric, and the Trinity was elevated to cathedral status. To give it an appearance worthy of its new role, it was transformed once again: a neo-Romanesque portal was added, a modern metal framework installed, and the crossing tower raised, inspired by Saint-Germain-des-Prés in Paris. Step inside if you can to get a closer look at this unique blend of styles. And if you’re not familiar with church architecture, here’s the quick version: the domed ceilings are Romanesque, the altarpieces and main altar are Baroque, and the side wing is Gothic and Renaissance. By the time you leave, you’ll be an expert at spotting them all!