Though Le Mans (luh mahn; pop. 146,100) may not be the most beautiful city in the Loire Valley, its central location, lively brasseries, spacious squares filled with young hipsters, and old Roman centre-ville make it worth exploring. Currently undergoing massive reconstruction, the city has many unsightly areas, but pedestrian pathways preserve the vieille ville, one of the most enchanting in the entire region. Most travelers will want to make Le Mans a daytrip, but for car-racing fans, the city is worth a night’s stay.
Plenty of hotels line bd. de la Gare, but most accommodations lack that Loire Valley charm. Better deals can be found farther from the station.
Renowned for its poultry, Le Mans’s regional cuisine usually includes pintade (guinea fowl) and canard (duck). The succulent marmite sarthoise, a warm casserole of rabbit, chicken, ham, carrots, cabbage, and mushrooms in a bath of jasnière wine, is a gourmand’s dream. The most affordable brasseries used to line place de la République before the construction site scared away the diners. If you’re willing to pay in the old Roman quarter, try one of the pleasant restaurants along Grande Rue or behind place de l’Éperon in the vieille ville. Fresh produce can be found at the outdoor market on place des Jacobins. (Open W and Su 7am-1pm, F 8am-6pm.) There’s a Monoprix supermarket at 30 pl. de la République (open M-Sa 8:30am-8:30pm; MC/V) and a Marché Plus at 68 av. du Général Leclerc (open M-Sa 7am-9pm, Su 9am-1pm; MC/V).
Unlike those of most cities in the valley, Le Mans’s main attractions date to antiquity or the Middle Ages. These include churches like the Maison-Dieu, founded by Henry Plantagenêt, and the Romanesque Notre Dame-de-la-Couture, up av. du Général Leclerc from the station. The billet inter-musée (€6, students €3) is available for purchase at any museum and includes visits to two of the following: Musée de Tessé, Musée Vert, or Musée de la Reine-Bérengère.
Vieille Ville. Behind thick Roman walls and the Sarthe River, the city’s vieille ville is one of the most authentic-feeling in France. Fifteenth- to 17th-century houses line the winding streets, and crumbling pillars that once served as street signs—the Pilier Rouge and the Pilier aux Clefs —mark the corners. Historical tours depart from the Pilier Rouge. (2hr. M-F 10:30am. €5.50, students €3. Book ahead for private English tours.) In the summer, after sundown, fantastic figures illuminate the cathedral and the Roman walls in La Nuit des Chimères. (2hr., July-Aug. daily. Free.) Housed in three 15th-century residences, the Musée de la Reine Bérengère displays artifacts from Le Mans’s past, including original 16th-century weathervanes. A well-preserved 18th-century métier à tisser (loom) in the attic is perhaps the most impressive piece, while the museum’s 16th-century facade, depicting the Virgin Mary with the angel Gabriel, is as interesting as the museum’s contents. (7-11 rue de la Reine Bérengère. ☎02 43 47 38 80. Open Tu-Su July-Sept. 10:30am-12:30pm and 2-6:30pm; Oct.-June 2-6pm. €2.80, students €1.40, under 18 free; Su ½-price. Night tours by torch light €8, under 18 €4.)
Cathédrale Saint-Julien. Built and rebuilt between the 11th and 15th centuries, the facade of Le Mans’s cathedral tells the city’s story. Legend has it that Charles VI, seized by a fit of insanity on a visit to Le Mans in 1392, was patiently nursed back to health in the cathedral by St-Julien, who gave the building his name. Donations from the grateful king helped build the great chancel, which doubled the cathedral’s size and added the impressive flying buttresses. A Celtic menhir (stone monolith) dating to 5000 BC still rests against the cathedral’s western wall; nicknamed the “belly button of Le Mans,” its phallic form was believed to enhance fertility. Much of the stained glass dates to the 11th century, while other vitrages pay colorful tribute to Joan of Arc. The cathedral feels oddly unfinished: in 1832, lightning struck, destroying its main spire. The cathedral is currently trying to raise the €2.5 million needed to regain its full 15th-century elegance. (Pl. des Jacobins. Included in the city tour. Open daily from July to mid-Sept. 8am-7pm; from mid-Sept. to June 9am-noon and 2-5:30pm. Tours given by tourist office Su 3pm. Wheelchair-accessible. €5.50, under 18 €3.)
Muraille Gallo-Romaine. The stocky fourth-century walls hugging the city’s southwestern edge helped make the town of Vindinium (Le Mans’s original name) a strong protection base against the “barbarous” tribes of ancient Roman times. Intricate mosaics in 14 different patterns called lozanges —intended to proclaim Roman refinement—adorn the exterior. Punctuated by three arched gates and 10 massive towers, the 1.3km wall is the longest and perhaps best-preserved Roman fortification in France. Steep staircases leading to the vieille ville penetrate the robust stretch of molded stones.
Musée And Parc De Tessé. The thoroughly modernized interior of this 19th-century former bishop’s palace holds 14th- to 20th-century paintings—including some by Le Sueur—with a special emphasis on the Italian Renaissance. In the depths of the museum lie Egyptian artifacts from 1230 BC, including a reproduction of the underground tomb of Nofetari, one of the wives of Pharaoh Ramses II. The tomb of Sennefer—the mayor of Thebes around 1400 BC—contains a dizzying replica of the cave’s original ceiling, accompanied by atmospheric lighting. Call ahead for guided tours in English and French. (2 av. Paderborn, a 15min. walk from pl. de la République. Take bus #3, dir.: Bellevue, from rue Gastelier by the station or from av. du Général de Gaulle to Musée. ☎02 43 47 38 51. Open July-Aug. Tu-Su 10am-12:30pm and 2-6:30pm; Sept.-June Tu-Sa 9am-noon and 2-6pm, Su 10am-noon and 2-6pm. €4, students €2, under 18 free; Su ½-price.) Behind the museum lies the spacious Parc de Tessé, where open-air concerts are hosted every weekend in the summer. Though it bustles with families and students during the day, the park becomes dangerous and should be avoided at night.
Racing Circuit And Musée Automobile. Le Mans has a world-famous automobile tradition: Amédée Bollée and his sons allegedly invented the steam and the gas car here in the 20th century. The 4km stretch of racetrack south of the city is a must-see for car enthusiasts. Since 1923, the circuit has hosted the annual 24 Heures du Mans, a grueling test of endurance held in June. (Tickets ☎02 43 40 24 75 or 72 72 24; www.museeauto24h.sarthe.com. Tickets to the track sold at the museum; €2.) The massive Musée Automobile de la Sarthe traces the evolution of auto racing with vintage and high-tech models, including the slick Socema Gregoire that Bollée drove for 18hr. to introduce to Paris in 1952. Over 140 vehicles are displayed in this giant futuristic garage. (At the corner of rue de l’Étoile and av. François Mitterrand. Take bus #7 to Raineries to the end of the line. 30min., every 10 min., €1.40. Schedules at SETRAM office. Take a right onto rue de Laigné, following signs to the museum. ☎02 43 72 72 24. Open June-Aug. daily 10am-7pm; Sept.-Dec. and Feb.-May daily 10am-6pm; Jan. Sa-Su 10am-6pm. €8, students and ages 12-18 €5, ages 7-11 €2.)
Le Mans packs most of its nocturnal revelry into the side streets around place de la République. A younger scene is down rue du Docteur Leroy, where bars resonate with techno and rock beats. Rue des Ponts Neuf has its share of lively bars, decorated with everything from model cars to film projections. Cannes festival winners, independent films, and lesser-known international productions are featured nightly at Les Cinéastes, 42 pl. des Comtes du Maine. (☎02 43 51 28 18. €6.80, students €5.80, under 13 €3.80.)
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