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Le Mans is a city in northwestern France with a rich history and a famous motorsport event. Learn about its origins, landmarks, culture, and notable people from this comprehensive article.
- Cité Plantagenêt
- Le Mans Cathedral
- La Nuit Des Chimères
- Gallo-Roman Walls
- Circuit Des 24 Heures
- Musée Des 24 Heures Du Mans
- Historic Houses
- Local Delicacies
- Abbaye de L’Epau
- Musée de Tessé
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Le Mans is proud of its link to the House of Plantagenêt, which ruled England for more than 300 years, and in 2003 adopted the name for its old quarter. Roughly following the outline of the Gallo-Roman walls, the Cité Plantagenêt has many streets of romantic old houses with timber frames, and renaissance palaces with elegantly carved walls. Get a g...
Walking through the old town, the cathedral kind of creeps up on you once you turn onto Place du Cardinal Grente, and is less adorned than many in northern France but no less magnificent. The most striking thing to see on the outside is the sequence of flying buttresses that encircle the apse, best admired from Place des Huguenots. There’s also an ...
Translating as the “Night of Dreams”, from Tuesday to Saturday in the summer Le Mans’ seven main monuments are the canvas for artful light displays. These whimsical projections have historic themes to match their landmarks; On the cathedral are gothic-style frescos with knights, signs of the zodiac, angels and legendary beasts. At the Maison de la ...
There’s an astounding 500-metre strip of Le Mans’ 3rd-century walls between the cathedral and the Sarthe. This is one side of what was once a colossal rectangle that protected the city in rigid lines with 26 towers. Get in close to see the beautiful geometric pattern fashioned with alternating layers of sandstone, white limestone, red brick and pal...
Chances are that you can’t say the name “Le Mans” without following it with “24 Hours”. And that tells you how renowned the event has become since it started in 1923. The 24 Hours of Le Mans is the oldest motor race still going and remains one of the ultimate tests of skill and endurance, for driver and vehicle, as the car is at full throttle for 8...
Only a race as fabled as the Le Mans 24 Hours is worthy of its own museum. Petrol-heads will no doubt get the most out of the attraction, but most people will appreciate the machinery gathered here. Of the 120 vehicles on show, 40 are race-cars that competed in the event. The museum also recounts the story of how the race came about and introduces ...
With a helping hand from the tourist office there’s a whole inventory of marvellous old houses to cross off your list as you stroll. The stunning Maison d’Adam et Ève at 69 Grande-Rue is wrongly named, as the fine renaissance relief above the door actually shows Ariadne and Bacchus instead of Adam and Eve. The large Hôtel de Vignolles on Place Sain...
Le Mans is a serious carnivore city, with a reputation for the quality of its meat that goes back to the middle ages. That goes for pork and beef, but especially poultry such as capons and guinea fowl, and in most dishes they’re prepared with potatoes and mushrooms, which are also plentiful in the Sarthe countryside. But the delicacy that comes to ...
One of France’s finest Cistercian abbeys is on the edge of Le Mans and dates to 1229, founded by Queen Berengaria. She would die there one year later and is buried at the abbey, even if the exact location of her remains is unclear – though her gisant (tomb effigy) is easy to find. As you wander this peaceful abbey, keep your eye out for historic fl...
Le Mans’ museum of fine arts in the former Episcopal palace and shines for its trove of Ancient Egyptian archaeology. These were donated to the museum by the early-19th-century explorer Édouard de Montulé and are composed of some 125 pieces dating as far back as 6,000 years. The marquee exhibit is the gilded sarcophagus of the priest Nakhmontou fro...
Discover the history, culture and racing heritage of Le Mans, a city in northern France. Explore its medieval quarter, cathedral, Gallo-Roman walls, museum and circuit, or enjoy its light show and events.
Discover the history, attractions and culture of Le Mans, a medieval city in the Pays de la Loire region. Learn about its Plantagenet heritage, its cathedral, its racing legacy and its light show.
Le Mans, city, capital of Sarthe département, Pays de la Loire région, northwestern France. Situated in the former province of Maine , the city lies southwest of Chartres at the confluence of the Sarthe and Huisne rivers.
- The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
The French city of Le Mans in Sarthe, close to the Loire Valley and just an hour by train from Paris, hosts the world-famous 24 Hours car race each year.
The 24 Hours of Le Mans is the 4th round of the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC). As its name suggests, the race lasts 24 hours. The race starts on Saturday June 15 at 4pm and finishes the following day, Sunday June 16 at 4pm.
Le Mans, the Plantagenet City. On the banks of the Sarthe river, on the heights of Le Mans, the Cité Plantagenêt promises a journey through time. Surrounded by a powerful Gallo-Roman wall, it has preserved a remarkable group of half-timbered houses nestled in a maze of pretty cobbled streets.
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