Take your time to get up to date information at the Office du Tourisme (Tourism center), located in Rue de l'Etoile. It is a 10 mins walk from the Cathedral.
Map of Le Mans
The splendid Saint-Julien Cathedral, located in the heart of the town, is a magnificient example of the lengths and efforts put to build up such buildings in the middle-age. With its reversed rounded arches, it is one of the most impressive religious monuments in the area, and one of the largest cathedral in France. Its building started in the 11th century and took over 500 years. Techniques and styles evolved throughout its history, as a result the cathedral is a mix between various architectural styles. The nave is pure Roman, but the choir is in flamboyant Gothic. The stained glases inside the cathedral should not be missed. One of those glasses, dating back from the twelve century, is actually the oldest stained glass still standing in the world.
Cathedral Saint Julien in Le Mans
The Old City (Cite Plantagenet), just behind the cathedral, is a large and nice example, with many houses and buildings dating back from the late middle age \ beginning of renaissance (look for the Pilier Rouge or the Maison des Deux Amis). The paved streets and limited traffic make for a nice strolling in this very "middle age looking" old town. In the old town, you can stop at the little Musee de la Reine Berengere Museum for some displays about the local history. The large Palais de Comtes du Maine palace is now part of the city hall and can not be visited. Ruins of a Roman thermal building dating from the 3rd century, have recently been uncovered. They can be visited with a prior reservation (02 43 28 17 22).
The Gallo-Roman Walls, around the old city, date back from the third century and are still in excellent condition.
The Musee de Tesse museum, just outside of the old city, offers displays of various interest, with a reconstitution of an Egytian tomb at the basement.
L'abbaye de l'Epau (Epau Abbey), on the Eastern side of the town, was founded by Queen Berengaria of Navarre, widow of Richard I of England (Richard Lionheart). Only ruins were remaining during the 1950s, but after 30 years of restoration, the Abbey, now a proprety of the prefecture, can be visited and is used for cultural events, notably the Festival de l'Epau.
The circuit
The circuit of the is located at the south end of the city. The famous Hunaudieres straight is actually part of the public road from Le Mans to Tours. You can visit some of the rest circuit, though it is of limited interest if there is no race. Seeing the 24 h, is of course a very different story. The town buzzles with many international visitors and the noise of the motors can be heard from the city center. Try to stay awake for the whole 24 h, as the glow of the carbon brakes in the night with bolids racing faster than Formula One is unforgettable. The tradition at the end of the race is for the public to invade the circuit. Although it is officially prohibited, a few thousand people each year take the chance of a lifetime to take a stroll on the bitume. Close to the circuit is a large Automobile Museum, open even if there is no race.
The Most Frequently Asked Travel Questions about Le Mans
Where To Stay & Best Hotels in Le Mans - updated May 2024
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Le Mans Travel Guide from Wikitravel. Many thanks to all Wikitravel contributors. Text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0, images are available under various licenses, see each image for details.
