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Culture of Le Mans. Places to visit - old town, temples, theaters, museums and palaces

Beautiful old town of Le Mans has been severely damaged during the Hundred Years’ War. It has been repeatedly destroyed; in the second half of the 19th century, it has long remained under the yoke of German invaders. Unique historical and architectural monuments that have managed to survive all the hardships are the main wealth of the city. Despite the fact that many travelers associate Le Mans primarily with motor racing, the city is known for its various tourist attractions.
Guide to Le Mans sightseeing - things to see and to visit
Le Mans is a town in France that is also the center of the Sarthe administrative department. The population of the city estimated 141.4 thousand in 2005. Once this city has been the capital … Open
The symbol of the city is the Cathedral of Saint-Julien. According to historical data, the first church in its place has been built in the 6th century. Construction of the cathedral, which guests can visit the city today, began in 1060 and lasted for almost four hundred years. On the territory of the church members of the royal family are buried; directly in its walls is the tomb of St. Julien de Le Man. Local people regard him as their patron saint; guests from all over the world arrive to express worship to the shrine.
After exploring beautiful religious monument you have to go to Musee de la Reine Berengere. The building housing the museum is also of great architectural value and dates back to the 15th century. The museum was opened in 1924, and since then, its collection has being expanding rapidly and constantly replenishing with new artifacts. Today, in the hall there are collections of historical artifacts and archaeological findings discovered in the vicinity of the city. It is worth noting that citizens were directly involved in the creation of the museum. Literally everyone has committed to make a contribution to the maintenance of cultural monuments. Copyright www.orangesmile.com
Family holidays with kids in Le Mans. How to entertain your child, things to show to children.
In the small town of Le Mans, there is a lot of interesting entertainment for tourists with children. In the warm season, they should definitely visit the entertainment complex Piscine Les … Open
Musee Tesse, which is located next to Jacobins square, is also an interesting venue. It will certainly appeal to those who have a passion for painting. The museum features works by French and Italian artists. There are often exhibitions of contemporary artists. An important cultural object is L'Abbaye de l'Epau. Recently, an architectural monument of the early 13th century has been completely renovated; today it is a regular venue for classical music concerts and various festivals. Among other excursion sites that will interest visitors to the city, the Church of St. Joan of Arc is worth noting. A lot of interesting stories are associated with this striking architectural monument of the 11th century.
A magnificent natural monument is Arche de la Nature, a park that is somewhat reminiscent of a fairytale farm - and this feeling of magical touch does not leave visitors for a minute. Many tourists visit the park solely for this fabulous pastoral atmosphere. Besides, here you can find a small farm with domestic animals (horses, goats, cows), as well as a beautiful garden with fragrant plants. Another interesting natural attraction in Le Mans is Jardin des Plantes, which is decorated not only by beautiful flowers and floral compositions but also by skillful sculptures.
Cuisine of Le Mans for gourmet with top restaurants and cafe
Among vacationers staying at Le Mans, local restaurants are considered the most popular. However, among diverse gastronomic establishments, restaurants and cafes that specialize in a variety … Open
For tourists who are fond of evolution and biodiversity, it would be interesting to visit the Musee Vert and learn a lot of interesting information about that. Visitors are invited to watch a colorful film and look at a collection of stuffed animals and animal skeletons. For those who came to Le Mans for the sake of the famous car race, it's a good idea to combine attending the sports car event with visiting the Musee des 24 Heures du Mans, where tourists can see cult cars that won prizes at various times. However, the museum appeals not only to those who came to the city for automobile races - children are delighted to explore each exhibit presented in the museum.
Today, the Carre Plantagenet is nothing but an archaeological museum, which has gathered a collection of beautiful exhibits from different eras: prehistoric times, the Roman era, the Middle Ages. The museum stores a number of unique and priceless objects - for example, the Shroud of Saint Bertrand, the Plantagenet enamel, and the treasure of Coeffort. La Nuit des Chimeres is the name of an unusual show, during which works of medieval art are projected onto the walls of buildings in the Old Town. Such images can depict angels or even chimeras and gargoyles. Many tourists travel to Le Mans for the sake of this spectacle and walk through the historic part of the city in the evening.
Authentic traditions, festivals and lifestyle of Le Mans inhabitants
Le Mans is one of the largest cities in France and its main characteristic is the unique historical atmosphere. The city has preserved a very beautiful historic area where one can admire … Open
Le Mans can boast one of the preserved blockhouses where the interior almost completely corresponds to the original one. This is Blockhaus Dollmann, where General Dollmann's command was once headquartered. Here you can find the officer’s restored office, a command room, headquarters. From a historical perspective, Enceinte Gallo-Romaine du Mans is a real treasure kept here in the city. The fortification was built back in 310 AD to protect Le Mans from the barbarians. The fortress stood fast against the invaders for a long time - even in the Middle Ages, when the fort was partially destroyed. Later it was completely restored.
Le Mans Cathedral The city is a real boon for fans of religious attractions. Besides the above mentioned, it has several other beautiful churches, and each one deserves a visit. One of these is Église Notre-Dame de la Couture whose main decoration is exquisite stained glass windows and an altar. The church is no less remarkable from the outside, evoking strong associations with grandiose medieval buildings. As for the time of its construction, it is worth noting that the shrine was erected in the 12th century in the Gothic style. Of great interest is another church called Notre Dame du Pré dating back to the 15th century. It was originally built in the Romanesque style but later complemented by Gothic elements. The interior is interesting for its organ, paintings, and sculptures.
In the section below, you can get one of our excursion, activities or city discovery tours over Le Mans and surroundings. Our website offers 10-30% lower ticket prices, when compared to the offline purchase on the spot.

City tours, excursions and tickets in Le Mans and surroundings

This guide to cultural sights Le Mans is protected by the copyright law. You can re-publish this content with mandatory attribution: direct and active hyperlink to www.orangesmile.com.
Le Mans - guide chapters 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Reference information
Map of all palaces
Public palaces near Le Mans
♥   Palace 'Château de Villandry' , 77.1 km from the center. On the map   Photo
Map of all churches
Cathedrals and basilicas near Le Mans
♥   Abbaye Saint-Pierre, Solesmes, 41 km from the center. On the map   Photo
♥   Basilique Notre-Dame d’Alençon, Alençon, 48.5 km from the center. On the map   Photo
♥   Basilique Notre-Dame de Montligeon, La-Chapelle-Montligeon, 63.4 km from the center. On the map   Photo
♥   Basilique-Cathédrale Notre-Dame, Sées, 67.3 km from the center. On the map   Photo
♥   Basilique Notre-Dame de l’Immaculée-Conception, Sées, 67.6 km from the center. On the map   Photo
♥   Basilique Saint-Martin de Tours, Tours, 76.6 km from the center. On the map   Photo
♥   Cathédrale Saint-Gatien, Tours, 76.7 km from the center. On the map   Photo
Car rental on OrangeSmile.com Rentals in Le Mans
Tram map of Le Mans
Le Mans photo gallery

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Photogallery of cultural heritage of Le Mans

Landmarks of culture on Le Mans map: art-galleries, monuments, palaces, etc

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Excursions over cultural sights of neighbours of Le Mans

Laval
An interesting feature of Laval's architectural look is beautiful bridges, some of which were built over a thousand years ago. The spectacular Pont Vieux bridge, which is now among the valuable historical objects, is laid across the Mayenne River. Alongside the river banks, there is a park area that is often chosen by tourists for walks. They all can take spectacular pictures ... Open »
Tours
Another important attraction of Tours is located on the Place Plumereau; we are talking about the old Basilica of Sant-Martn. Named after the patron saint the basilica attracts pilgrims and curious tourists from all over the world. The undisputed symbol of the city is the beautiful Plessy-les-Tours Castle housing the Museum of Wax. For 20 years it was the principal residence ... Open »
Angers
Don’t forget to visit the museums that are open in the city. For example, Musee Jean-Lurcat et de la tapisserie contemporaine is one of the most unusual museums in the city. The museum got its name after Jean Lurcat, the famous French tapestry artist who was born in Angers at the end of the 19th century. The museum is open in a 12th-century historic building. In the 19th ... Open »
Normandy
If you have enough time, be sure to walk along the streets of the local villages. There are many houses built in medieval style in Beuvron-en-Auge. There is an ancient mansion which was built more than five centuries ago and an old railway station built in 1879. Saint-Céneri-le-Gérei is a village where you can find a church of the 9th century. Le Beck-Ellouin is famous for ... Open »
Rennes
Massive fire badly damaged a bigger part of the historical center of Rennes at the beginning of the 18th century. Still the city has preserved several architectural landmarks and historical monuments which have been reconstructed and today appear in all their glory. The Parliament palace will be of great interest to visit for curious tourists. Its recently renovated building is ... Open »
Le Havre
The rooms of the house feature beautiful antique furniture, decor items made of precious metals and an interesting collection of exhibits. There is also an excellent library in the mansion, which was bequeathed by the merchant to his children. Among the exhibits present here you will see models of ancient buildings and ships, various historical documents and personal ... Open »
Culture guide to Le Mans. Which fascinating sights to visit once you are in Le Mans: temples, churches, museums, theaters and castles. Recommendations (with addresses, phone numbers and links) on the places 'must visit' in Le Mans. Plan your own city excursion by using this page info!
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