Le Mans tourism and travel guide

Visit Le Mans: highlights and tourist information

France This Way comment: Le Mans is best known for its famous car race, but also has a very lovely medieval centre to explore

Le Mans is situated in the Sarthe department and Pays de la Loire region.

Tourist classifications for Le Mans include "secteur sauvegarde" and "town of art and history".

Popular places to visit nearby include Sillé-le-Guillaume at 33 km and Parcé-sur-Sarthe at 34 km. For more sites to visit and local tourist attractions see the map and listings below.

Le Mans, France: places to visit and attractions

Some of the places that we have visited and reviewed and can recommend when you are sightseeing close to Le Mans in Pays de la Loire.

Note that all distances below are 'direct' and real driving distances will be greater!

Beaumont-sur-Sarthe

at 28 km (direction north-north-west)

It is the countryside around Beaumont-sur-Sarthe that is the main attraction, but...

See Beaumont-sur-Sarthe guide

Sillé-le-Guillaume

at 33 km (direction west-north-west)

Sillé le Guillaume has a chateau dating to the 11th century...

See Sillé-le-Guillaume guide

Parcé-sur-Sarthe

at 34 km (direction west-south-west)

Parcé sur Sarthe is a classified petites cites de...

See Parcé-sur-Sarthe guide

Asnieres-sur-Vegre

at 34 km (direction west-south-west)

The small town of Asnières-sur-Vègre is especially picturesque in...

See Asnieres-sur-Vegre guide

Fresnay-sur-Sarthe

at 36 km (direction north-north-west)

The traditional market hall and remains of a medieval castle, and...

See Fresnay-sur-Sarthe guide

Chateau du Lude

Castle at 37 km (direction south)

The Chateau de Lude and its lovely gardens are the closest of...

See Chateau du Lude guide

Solesmes

at 40 km (direction west-south-west)

Solesmes is known for its Abbey Saint-Pierre, an important benedictine...

See Solesmes guide

La Ferte-Bernard

at 41 km (direction east-north-east)

The medieval character and picturesque setting make La Ferté-Bernard one of our...

See La Ferte-Bernard guide

Sainte-Suzanne

Most Beautiful Village at 43 km (direction west-north-west), in the Mayenne department

The medieval village and the castle in the pretty village of...

See Sainte-Suzanne guide

Saulges

at 45 km (direction west), in the Mayenne department

The principal attraction in Saulges is the caves, occupied in prehistoric...

See Saulges guide

Saint-Ceneri-le-Gerei

Most Beautiful Village at 48 km (direction north-north-west), in the Orne department

Saint-Ceneri-le-Gerei is a very pretty village in the Regional Natural Park of...

See Saint-Ceneri-le-Gerei guide

Les Jardins de la Mansoniere

Garden at 48 km (direction north-north-west), in the Orne department

Les Jardins de la Mansoniere is a lovely garden in the charming...

See Les Jardins de la Mansoniere guide

Evron

at 49 km (direction west-north-west), in the Mayenne department

The highlight here at Evron is the Abbey of Notre...

See Evron guide

Alencon

at 50 km (direction north-north-west), in the Orne department

There are several sites of historical interest in Alencon, best...

See Alencon guide

... or see ALL recommended places to visit in Sarthe

Map of places to visit near Le Mans

Markets in and near Le Mans

Market days in Le Mans: weekly market: every day except Monday;

• Le Mans: market every day except Monday (0km)
• Allonnes: market Tuesday (4km)
• Arnage: market Saturday (6km)
• La Suze-sur-Sarthe: market Thursday (16km)
• Ecommoy: market Tuesday (18km)
• Conlie: market Thursday (23km)
• Connerre: market Wednesday (23km)
• Le Grand-Luce: market Wednesday all day (24km)
• Noyen-sur-Sarthe: market Saturday (26km)
• Loue: market Tuesday (26km)

More information about Le Mans, Pays de la Loire

Tourist attractions near Le Mans, France

What to do at Le Mans? Some places with official tourist classifications and other places of interest to visit nearby that should provide inspiration if you are visiting Le Mans.

Most beautiful villages in France

(see also beautiful French villages)

• Sainte-Suzanne (43km)
• Saint-Ceneri-le-Gerei (48km)

Recommended detour towns (fr: plus beau détour)

• La Fleche (38km)

Churches and religious monuments

• Cathédrale Saint Julien (Le Mans) (3km)
• Abbaye de l'Epau (Yvre-l'Eveque) (6km)

Remarkable gardens

• Jardin du château de Vilaines (13km)
• Jardin d’atmosphère du Petit Bordeaux (18km)
• Jardins du Mirail (19km)
• Jardins de la Massonnière (25km)
• Parc et jardins du château du Lude (37km)
• Jardins du château de Poncé (42km)

Sites of natural beauty

• Mont du Haut-Fourché (46km)

Towns of Art and history

• Evron (49km)

Villages in bloom 4* (fr: ville fleurie)

• Coulaines (5km)
• Cogners (36km)

Zoo and/or wildlife park

• Spaycific'Zoo (8km)

Geography and distances

Le Mans is in the north-west of France - it is the prefecture (capital) of the Sarthe department (general information: Le Mans is 186 kilometres from Paris).

Getting here

Most visitors get here by car having taken a ferry, probably to Saint-Malo or Caen, and then a drive of around 2 - 3 hours. For driving distances to Le Mans from anywhere in France see driving distances and route planner.

We have 8 other places listed as being close (less than kilometres from ): Allonnes, Change, Coulaines, La Chapelle-Saint-Aubin, Rouillon, Ruaudin, Sarge-les-le-Mans and Yvre-l'Eveque.

This page in French: Visiter Le Mans