Nestled within the coronary heart of the Pays de la Loire area, the city of Le Mans (France) is a vacation spot properly price exploring ! Well-known worldwide for its legendary 24-hour race, Le Mans is far more than only a motoring occasion!
With its medieval streets, cathedral, museums and inventive avenue artwork scene, Le Mans gives a wealth of actions and locations to go to.
So what are you able to do in Le Mans? What are the not-to-be-missed sights and good addresses ? Comply with the information!
This text was produced in collaboration with Sarthe Tourisme. Nevertheless, I reserve the correct to make my very own feedback, so the opinions expressed listed below are solely honest.
Le Mans in short
How do I get there?
Le Mans is extraordinarily properly served:
- By prepare: the TGV connects Paris-Montparnasse to Le Mans in simply 55 minutes. There are additionally hyperlinks to Lyon, Nantes, Rennes and Lille.
- By automobile: the city is positioned on the junction of the A11 (Paris-Nantes) and the A28 (Rouen-Excursions), making it simply accessible by automobile.
- By bus: a lot of corporations supply low-cost journeys from main French cities.
When to go ?
The most effective time to find Le Mans is from Might to September. The climate is delicate and nice, good for out of doors strolls. In June, the city vibrates to the rhythm of the 24 Heures du Mans, an occasion that’s each sporting and festive. In July-August, take pleasure in ” La Nuit des Chimères “, a path of sunshine projections on the town’s historic monuments. December can be a pleasing time with the festive environment.
Who’s it for?
Le Mans is a perfect vacation spot for :
- Households: enjoyable routes, interactive museums, parks and cultural occasions all year long.
- Historical past buffs: with the Plantagenet Metropolis and its many historic monuments.
- Artwork lovers: free museums, avenue artwork, galleries and up to date artwork festivals await you
How lengthy to remain?
A weekend of two days is good for exploring the town’s landmarks. For an entire immersion together with the encompassing space, enable 4 to five days.
What to do in Le Mans Visits to not be missed
The Plantagenet Metropolis
The Cité Plantagenêt is the historic coronary heart of the city. With its many cobbled streets, its hundred or so timber-framed homes, its ramparts and its cathedral, the Plantagenet Metropolis plunges you into the guts of the Center Ages. Throughout your go to, don’t miss :
- The Cathédrale Saint-Julien: imposing and majestic, it blends Romanesque and Gothic kinds. Inside, you’ll be able to admire the oldest stained glass window nonetheless in place in a non secular constructing in France, relationship from the XIth century.
- The Roman enclosure: initially 1,300 metres lengthy, right this moment 500 metres of it stay, notably properly preserved and adorned with geometric patterns distinctive in Europe.
- The cobbled streets: take the time to lose your self on this ” vieux Mans “, it’s a really nice go to.
The Tessé Museum
That is the musée des Beaux Arts du Mans whose portray collections vary from the XIVth century to the current day. The museum’s basement additionally options Egyptian antiquities, together with a reconstruction of the tomb of Nefertari, the spouse of Ramses II.
The museum additionally gives unique actions equivalent to yoga and olfactory guided excursions. It’s a enjoyable and unique strategy to take a contemporary look – with all of your senses! – at artistic endeavors.
2 avenue de Paderborn
Tuesday to Sunday, 10am to 12.30pm and 2pm to 6pm
Free admission, solely leisure is chargeable
https://www.lemans.fr/
Tip: in Le Mans, the town’s museums are free!
Preserve your pockets in your pocket! In Le Mans, the town’s museums are free for everybody. Solely guided excursions and occasions are topic to a cost.
The Royal Abbey of Épau
I actually fell in love with this abbey ! Based in 1230 by Bérengère de Navare, the Abbaye Royale de l’Épau is an excellent instance of Cistercian structure, with an abbey church, cloister and conventual buildings. The abbey can be surrounded by 13 hectares of parkland, together with a permacultural backyard.
Throughout your go to, don’t neglect to pay your respects to the recumbent statue of Queen Berengaria within the abbey church!
Who was Bérengère de Navarre?
Born round 1163, Queen Berengaria was the spouse of Richard the Lionheart. After his dying, she refused to remarry and settled in Le Mans, the Plantagenet capital. After receiving the lands of Epau, south of Le Mans, from Louis IX, she had the abbey constructed there. She died in 1230 on the age of 67, whereas the abbey was nonetheless below development.
Route de Changé, Yvré-l’Evêque
Instances differ relying on the season, seek the advice of the abbey web site
€7, €5 for under-18s, free for under-10s
https://epau.sarthe.fr/
Road artwork
Le Mans is a metropolis with an amazing repute for avenue artwork. Each first weekend in July, since 2019, the pageant Plein Champ brings collectively avenue artists to create works in entrance of the general public which might be then introduced on cell constructions in all of the districts.
The pageant can be a possibility to fee monumental everlasting frescoes to adorn the town’s partitions through the years. So far, there are round fifty to be found throughout Le Mans, created by famend artists equivalent to Seth, Wen2 & François Schuiten, Pedro, Mojito Fraise, C215 and plenty of others….
Road artwork occasions to not be missed!
The seventhe version of the Plein Champ pageant will happen from 4 to six July 2025 within the Parc du Gué-de-Maulny. On the programme : creation of latest works by Stom500, Slim Safont, Veks Van Hillik…, live shows but additionally workshops, foodtruck and a Pleasure March to conclude the occasion.
Proper within the coronary heart of the city within the Collégiale Saint-Pierre-La-Cour, additionally uncover the exhibition “L’artwork dans a rue, 60 ans d’artwork urbain ” with unique works by Banksy, Invader, Swoon, Shepard Fairey… To be seen freed from cost till September 7.
The Fonds Worldwide d’Artwork Actuel
Head for the Visitation district to go to the FIAA – Fonds Worldwide d’Artwork Actuel. Based in 2020 by Lucien Ruimy, who has amassed a wealth of works by regional, nationwide and worldwide artists through the years, the FIAA continues so as to add to its collections with new acquisitions.
Each 3 months, the FIAA presents exhibitions devoted to up to date artwork and repeatedly organises workshops for kids.
La Visitation, 1 rue Gambetta
Tuesday to Sunday, 2pm to 6pm
€5, €3 for under-18s, free for under-7s
https://www.fiaa-lemans.com/
Good locations to eat in Le Mans
The place to eat?
There are many good locations to eat in Le Mans ! For an important day, I like to recommend Le Grenier à Sel, a gastronomic institution positioned within the metropolis centre that gives top-flight delicacies !
26 place de l’Eperon
Monday to Friday, 12 midday to 1.30pm and seven.30pm to 9.30pm
https://www.restaurant-le-grenier-a-sel.fr/
In the event you’re going to go to the Abbaye Royale de l’Epau, I extremely suggest lunch on the Café des Moines positioned within the coronary heart of the abbey, which serves seasonal delicacies made with the abbey’s greens specifically. Please notice : locations are restricted, so reserving is strongly suggested.
Abbaye Royale de l’Epau, Route de Changé, Yvré-l’Evêque
Wednesday to Sunday, 12 midday to 6pm
https://epau.sarthe.fr/le-cafe-des-moines
The place to remain?
I like to recommend that you simply keep within the centre of Le Mans, as this can mean you can do most of your sightseeing on foot and take full benefit of the town’s environment.
For a very good location that’s additionally quiet, I like to recommend Demeure Jousset des Berries, which has 4 flats in an 18th-century property with terraces and a backyard, in addition to a kitchen, so that you don’t should exit to eat on a regular basis.
Le Mans additionally has a variety of lodges, so don’t hesitate to enter the dates of your keep beneath to see the institutions accessible and their costs:
Affiliated hyperlink
Interactive map
This map reveals all of the addresses talked about on this article:
Get pleasure from your journey to Le Mans!
Article produced in collaboration with Sarthe Tourisme
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