Le Mans is a town in France best known for its annual 24 hour automobile race. The rich and 17 centuries long history of Le Mans, former capital of the province of Maine, is too often eclipsed by the annual worldwide famous 24h race, held on the brink of the city. There are however beautiful reminders of the past and a gloriously restored old city, which was used as a backdrop for several movies.
The cathedral Saint-Julien, at its heart, is a wonder and should not be missed. The city is very easily accessible from Paris, it has much to offer and deserves more than only a short trip to its circuit when the motors roar. The "Cité Plantagenêt" may be one of the best-kept secrets in France.
PLACE TO VISIT
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 XIth century, spanning 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, whereas 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.
The Old City - 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 (phone number is 02 43 28 17 22).
The Gallo-Roman Walls - around the old city, date back from the IIIrd 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 of the 24 Heures du Mans - 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 parts of the rest circuit, though it is of limited interest if there is no race. Seeing the 24h, 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 24h, 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 Jardin des Plantes du Mans (8 hectares), also known as the Jardin d'Horticulture du Mans, is a botanical garden. The garden was created between 1867-1870 to designs by Jean-Charles Alphand, who also designed Paris's Parc Monceau, Bois de Boulogne, and Bois de Vincennes. It consists of two major sections linked by small tunnels: a French garden (3 hectares) with rose garden and terraced walk planted with four rows of Tilia nearly 100 years old, and an English-style park (4 hectares) with fine trees and a large pond.
HOW TO REACH
By plane - There is a very small airfield located near the circuit, with no regular connections to other major cities. As there is a direct TGV access from Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport, there is absolutely no point in trying to get to Le Mans by plane, unless you have a private or chartered (small) plane.
By train - The TGV stops in Le Mans, and many TGV West-bounded trains leaving from Paris stop in Le Mans. From Gare Montparnasse in Paris, there are trains every hour or so, and the 210-km trip takes 55 minutes. There is also a direct TGV service from Charles de Gaulle Airport (through TGV bypassing Paris to go to Nantes or Bordeaux), the trip takes 90 minutes, and the ticket train to Le Mans can be combined with your incoming flight, as if it was a connecting domestic flight. Check with your agency. From Le Mans, you can easily access Bretagne, Bordeaux or Nantes. Regional trains give you access to/from neighboring towns of Angers, Tours or Laval.
By car - Le Mans has many good road links to the rest of the country. The A11 L'Oceane highway runs from Paris to Nantes via Le Mans, and the A81 from Le Mans heads West to Rennes. It takes roughly 2h from Paris to drive to Le Mans. The city of Chartres, half-way from Paris has a magnificient cathedral which deserves a stop.
