Le Mans

Prefecture of the Sarthe, Le Mans rises at the confluence of the Sarthe and the Huisne. Former capital of Maine, it keeps in its historic district, the Cité Plantagenêt, the memory of the marriage of Geoffrey V of Anjou and Empress Matilda, the origin of the Plantagenet empire, and of the birth of Henry II.

The town has kept part of its third-century Gallo-Roman enclosure, which earns it the nickname "red city" and is said to be the largest in Europe after that of Rome. The cathedral of Saint-Julien dominates old Le Mans, with its tower peaking at 64 metres. Le Mans is also known worldwide for the 24 Hours of Le Mans, an endurance motor race organised by the Automobile Club de l'Ouest on the second weekend of June, which draws hundreds of thousands of spectators every year.

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