The “Lactopôle” – Dairy museum

Everyone loves milk. In Mayenne, its extraordinary history is recounted in a unique museum – the Cité du Lait – Lactopôle®.

A huge space on over 5000 square metres invites you to peruse the unprecedented industrial adventure of milk production.

An interactive, multimedia and multi-sensory journey that ends (of course) with a tasting session!

Getting there

The largest dairy museum in the world!

La Cité du Lait – Lactopôle dairy museum is an educational space telling the story of a traditional and rural profession which has become a powerful industry over time.

The museum aims to show the younger generations that dairy products come to us from a long history, anchored in our culture and part of our heritage.

A museum like no other

Travel to the heart of the dairy tradition by the scenic route, featuring more than 4,000 exhibits, sometimes unique and unexpected. Numerous multimedia screens help to tell the story.

A visit of around two hours, in a universe of beauty and light, which will explain why France is the land of the greatest cheeses!

The tour

The Laiterie de Laval is a life-sized reconstruction of a dairy of yesteryear
From the reception hall located at the foot of the old quay where milk churns were once unloaded, plunge into the adventure of a day in a dairy of the mid-20th century.
History of the dairy industry
From milking the cows to the different types of processing, from the simplest to the most complex, discover the extraordinary range of products made from milk, with a magnificent scenographical display.

Bouteilles - La cité du lait - Lactopôle®

The dairy story since 1933

The museum tells the story of a great local industrial adventure, of a company created in Laval in 1933 by André Besnier, and which went-on to become one of the most important sectors of French industry, with products for sale on all five continents.

The Lactalis Group, despite its worldwide success, has always been, and remains, a family business. The entire capital is under the exclusive control of the founder’s family. Over three generations, it has conquered a central place in the dairy products market, and the Cité du Lait dairy museum invites you to discover the story through a scenographic journey in chronological order, with different themes.

Special mention should go to the amazing collection of packaging, labels and advertising posters.

Easily accessible and open to all, the Cité du Lait dairy museum can be found on the company’s industrial site, demonstrating its attachment to its roots in Laval.

Cheese tasting

Your visit will end with a tasting session, revealing all the amazing know-how of the men and women who work for Lactalis.

A place for discussions and exchanges

During the school holidays, the Cité du Lait – Lactopôle® offers meetings for schools and families addition to its guided tours. An apprentice cheese workshop and a giant escape game are among the attractions

For adults, cheese and wine evenings are organised – an unforgettable moment for the taste buds!