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Le Mans is far more than a racetrack. The medieval Cité Plantagenêt, a Roman wall that has stood for 1,700 years and a motorsport museum with 140 cars make up the core of the city’s attractions. Most sights sit within a compact walkable centre, and the two-line tram links the old town to the circuit in about 20 minutes. Plan the rest of your trip with our Le Mans guide and Le Mans travel tips.
Things to Do in Le Mans: The Old Town and Cathedral
Cité Plantagenêt
The Cité Plantagenêt, also called the Vieux Mans, is a 20-hectare medieval quarter of half-timbered houses and Renaissance mansions enclosed by Gallo-Roman walls. It’s free to wander and best explored on foot from Place Saint-Pierre, where the 11th-century collegiate church stands. Look for the Maison du Pilier-Rouge, a 15th-century merchant’s house on Grande Rue, and the Escalier de la Grande Poterne staircase down to the Sarthe river. Allow two hours for a slow walk.
Cathédrale Saint-Julien
The cathedral on Place Saint-Michel mixes a Romanesque nave from the 11th and 12th centuries with a soaring Gothic choir added in the 13th. Its stained glass, some of it from the 12th to 15th centuries, is the main draw, along with the flying buttresses around the choir. Entry is free and it’s open daily, with guided tours bookable through the tourist office on 02 43 28 28 98. The facade is also the centrepiece of La Nuit des Chimères every summer evening.
Gallo-Roman Walls
The Roman walls of Le Mans are among the best preserved in France. Built in the late 3rd century AD, the circuit runs for about 1,300 metres and stands up to 12 metres high, with distinctive geometric patterns picked out in red brick and stone. You can follow the walls along the Rue Wilbur Wright and from the steps near the cathedral for free at any time. They’re the backdrop for the old town neighbourhood and a quick photo stop before heading to the river.
Things to Do in Le Mans: Motorsport and the 24 Hours
Musée des 24 Heures (M24)
The 24 Hours of Le Mans museum reopened in May 2026 as M24, a motorsport museum at 9 Place Luigi Chinetti, at the gates of the circuit. It displays around 140 vehicles spanning Formula 1, endurance racing, rallying and IndyCar across 8,600 square metres, plus 350 square metres of temporary exhibitions. Entry costs €20 for adults, €12 for children aged 6 to 17, and is free for under-6s; opening hours are 10:00 to 19:00 daily from 28 May to 30 September. A combined museum and circuit ticket costs €24.
Circuit des 24 Heures
The Circuit de la Sarthe is a 13.6 km semi-permanent track that uses public roads for part of its length, including the famous Mulsanne Straight on the D338 road. Outside race week you can drive sections of the circuit in a normal car, or book a guided tour of the track and pits through the tourist office. A free mobile app covers the museum and circuit, and a circuit-only self-guided visit costs between €4 and €7. The closest tram stop to the circuit is on the T1 line toward Antarès. For race dates, see our best time to visit Le Mans guide.
Things to Do in Le Mans: Museums, the Abbey and Nature
Musée de Tessé
This fine-arts museum on Avenue de Paderborn holds paintings from the 14th to 20th centuries and a notable Egyptian collection with a reconstructed tomb. Entry is modest and often free on the first Sunday of the month, and it sits next to the Jardin des Plantes, a good spot for a break. It’s a 10-minute walk south of the old town and a solid indoor option for a rainy weather day in Le Mans.
Abbaye Royale de l’Épau
This Cistercian abbey was founded in 1229 by Berengaria of Navarre, the widow of Richard the Lionheart, and sits about 4 km east of the centre at Route de Changé in Yvré-l’Évêque. You can visit the church, cloister and gardens, and it hosts concerts and candlelight music events year-round. Entry is modest and it’s reachable by the T1 tram plus a short walk, or a 10-minute drive. Phone ahead on 02 43 84 22 29 for seasonal opening hours.
Arche de la Nature
Arche de la Nature is a free 500-hectare park on the city’s eastern edge with forest trails, a working farm and a river, run by the local authority. It’s aimed at families and is open daily, with a farmhouse café and plenty of picnic spots. It makes a good half-day escape from the city in spring and summer, and you can reach it by tram T1 to the Université stop plus a short walk. If you’re staying over, check our where to stay in Le Mans guide for nearby areas.
