Discover Le Mans by Hire Car
Le Mans, with 142,000 inhabitants, is a large city in northwestern France at the confluence of the Sarthe and Huisne rivers.
Despite numerous wars, the historic old town of Le Mans has remained largely undestroyed.
A hire car will give you the independence you need to discover the city and its surroundings.
Sights at Le Mans
Besides the Gallo-Roman city walls dating back to the third century, the Saint-Julien Cathedral is one of the showpieces of the city. The church, construction of which began in 1217, is a prime example of the Bourges architectural style, which developed its own school of architecture in 1195. A characteristic feature of the monumental building is its Romanesque-Gothic style, which is a result of the long period of construction.
Between the 16th and 18th centuries, Le Mans excelled in textile production. As early as 1740, two thirds of all these products were exported. Le Mans also remained innovative during the Industrial Revolution, producing the first steam engines, for example, and in 1936 the automobile industry, which still characterises the city today, settled here.
24 Hours of Le Mans race
In 1906, the world’s first Grand Prix race took place here with 32 automobiles and even today, the 24-hour races of Le Mans, attract international attention. Every year in June, the city, the original mother of endurance racing, becomes the Mecca of global racing. The famous circuit, which is ideally accessible by hire car, also hosts the World Motorcycle Championship.
In the inner area of the circuits, there has been an automobile museum since 1991, where a Bentley built in 1924 and a Ferrari from 1949, can be admired among the winning cars. In downtown Le Mans, the great racing drivers have immortalized their hand and footprints on brass plates embedded in the pavement, in the style of the ‘Walk of Fame’ in Hollywood.
hire car price comparison Le Mans
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Road Trip France - a country of many facets