Le Mans – Not Just Racing

Sarthe is a department in the legendary Loire Valley region in the western part of France. It is most famous because of the town of Le Mans, which in turn is famous for its 24 hour car races and historical significance. Le Mans town is the most developed part of Sarthe, and apart from this, it is pretty much rural areas here. The region is an excellent location that has a good number of natural attractions. There is a number of hiking trails as well as a selection of water sports. You can also enjoy travel destinations or extreme sports such as karting and climbing.

Le Mans
Le Mans is the major town in the Sarthe department. Although it is most famous for motor racing, it has a huge number of attractions besides this. The town dates back to the time of the Romans, and there are a huge number of architectural examples that are from various time periods.

There are Roman bath ruins to be seen. Apart from the racing circuit, the most famous part of the town is the Cite Plantangenet. Old Le Mans has half timbered houses and cobbled streets. The Julian Cathedral is another notable structure in Le Mans. It hoses a good selection of religious art work and is especially famous for its flying buttresses.

Le Mans 24 hour race is organized annually in the month of June. The event is extremely popular and if you plan to be attending, it is important to book tickets very much in advance. The race weekend transforms the town into a festival, and the atmosphere is extremely enjoyable. So much so that even if you do not have tickets it is a lot of fun to be in the town at the time of the race. Make sure you try and have a round of the legendary course yourself in the racing cars or karts.