Le Mans

This article is about the city in France. For the sportscar endurance race, see 24 Hours of Le Mans. For racecar type, see Le Mans Prototype. For other uses, see Le Mans (disambiguation).

Le Mans
Prefecture and commune
Top row: left, 24 Hours of Le Mans automobile race in June; right, Le Mans Justice Department Office; Middle row: View of Sarthe River and historic area, including the Palais of Comtes du Maine; Bottom row: left, Le Mans Tramway in Gambetta Street; center, Facade built in Le Mans Commerce Center; right, Saint Julien Cathedral
Top row: left, 24 Hours of Le Mans automobile race in June; right, Le Mans Justice Department Office; Middle row: View of Sarthe River and historic area, including the Palais of Comtes du Maine; Bottom row: left, Le Mans Tramway in Gambetta Street; center, Facade built in Le Mans Commerce Center; right, Saint Julien Cathedral
Coat of arms of Le Mans
Coat of arms
Location of Le Mans
Map
Le Mans is located in France
Le Mans
Le Mans
Le Mans is located in Pays de la Loire
Le Mans
Le Mans
Coordinates: 48°00′28″N 0°11′54″E / 48.0077°N 0.1984°E / 48.0077; 0.1984
CountryFrance
RegionPays de la Loire
DepartmentSarthe
ArrondissementLe Mans
CantonLe Mans-1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7
IntercommunalityLe Mans Métropole
Government
 • Mayor (2020–2026) Stéphane Le Foll[1]
Area
1
52.81 km2 (20.39 sq mi)
Population
 (2021)[2]
145,004
 • Density2,700/km2 (7,100/sq mi)
Demonym(s)Manceau (masculine)
Mancelle (feminine)
Time zoneUTC+01:00 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+02:00 (CEST)
INSEE/Postal code
72181 /72000
Dialling codes(0)243
Elevation38–134 m (125–440 ft)
(avg. 51 m or 167 ft)
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

Le Mans (/lə ˈmɒ̃/, French: [lə mɑ̃] ⓘ) is a city in Northwestern France on the Sarthe River where it meets the Huisne. Traditionally the capital of the province of Maine, it is now the capital of the Sarthe department and the seat of the Roman Catholic diocese of Le Mans. Le Mans is a part of the Pays de la Loire region.

Its inhabitants are called Manceaux (male) and Mancelles (female). Since 1923, the city has hosted the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the world's oldest active endurance sports car race. The event is among the most attended and prestigious motor sports events in the world.

History

See also: Timeline of Le Mans

First mentioned by Claudius Ptolemy,[3] the Roman city Vindinium was the capital of the Aulerci, a sub tribe of the Aedui. Le Mans is also known as Civitas Cenomanorum (City of the Cenomani), or Cenomanus. Their city, seized by the Romans in 47 BC, was within the ancient Roman province of Gallia Lugdunensis. A 3rd-century amphitheatre is still visible. The thermae were demolished during the crisis of the third century when workers were mobilized to build the city's defensive walls. The ancient wall around Le Mans is one of the most complete circuits of Gallo-Roman city walls to survive.[4]

As the use of the French language replaced late Vulgar Latin in the area, Cenomanus, with dissimilation, became known as Celmins. Cel- was taken to be a form of the French word for "this" and "that", and was replaced by le, which means "the".

As the principal city of Maine, Le Mans was the stage for struggles in the eleventh century between the counts of Anjou and the dukes of Normandy. When the Normans had control of Maine, William the Conqueror successfully invaded England and established an occupation. In 1069 the citizens of Maine revolted and expelled the Normans, resulting in Hugh V being proclaimed count of Maine. Geoffrey V of Anjou married Matilda of England in the cathedral. Their son Henry II Plantagenet, king of England, was born in the town.[5]

In the 13th century Le Mans came under the control of the French crown. It was subsequently invaded by England during the Hundred Years' War.[6]

Industrialization took place in the 19th century which saw the development of railway and motor vehicle production as well as textiles and tobacco manufacture.[6]

Wilbur Wright began official public demonstrations of the airplane he had developed with his younger brother Orville on 8 August 1908, at the Hunaudières horse racing track near Le Mans.[7]

World War II

Soon after Le Mans was liberated by the U.S. 79th and 90th Infantry Divisions on 8 August 1944,[8] engineers of the Ninth Air Force IX Engineering Command began construction of a combat Advanced Landing Ground outside of the town. The airfield was declared operational on 3 September and designated as "A-35". It was used by several American fighter and transport units until late November of that year in additional offensives across France; the airfield was closed.[9][10]

Main sights

  • Le Palais des Comtes du Maine[n 1]
    Le Palais des Comtes du Maine[n 1]
  • Gallo-Roman walls
    Gallo-Roman walls
  • Organ in the cathedral
    Organ in the cathedral
  • A street in the old town
    A street in the old town
  • Manhole cover depicting the city's coat-of-arms
    Manhole cover depicting the city's coat-of-arms
  • Effigy of Berengaria of Navarre in the chapter house of Épau abbey.
    Effigy of Berengaria of Navarre in the chapter house of Épau abbey.
  • The Hôtel de Ville (City Hall)
    The Hôtel de Ville (City Hall)

Climate

Le Mans has a temperate oceanic climate (Cfb) influenced by the mild Atlantic air travelling inland. Summers are warm and occasionally hot, whereas winters are mild and cloudy. Precipitation is relatively uniform and moderate year round.

Climate data for Le Mans (1991–2020 averages)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 17.2
(63.0) 		21.8
(71.2) 		25.6
(78.1) 		30.3
(86.5) 		32.4
(90.3) 		39.7
(103.5) 		41.1
(106.0) 		40.5
(104.9) 		35.0
(95.0) 		30.0
(86.0) 		22.2
(72.0) 		18.3
(64.9) 		41.1
(106.0)
Mean maximum °C (°F) 14.4
(57.9) 		16.2
(61.2) 		20.4
(68.7) 		24.8
(76.6) 		28.2
(82.8) 		32.4
(90.3) 		33.9
(93.0) 		34.0
(93.2) 		29.2
(84.6) 		23.5
(74.3) 		17.6
(63.7) 		14.3
(57.7) 		35.4
(95.7)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 8.4
(47.1) 		9.7
(49.5) 		13.3
(55.9) 		16.6
(61.9) 		20.1
(68.2) 		23.6
(74.5) 		26.0
(78.8) 		26.0
(78.8) 		22.2
(72.0) 		17.2
(63.0) 		11.9
(53.4) 		8.8
(47.8) 		17.0
(62.6)
Daily mean °C (°F) 5.5
(41.9) 		5.9
(42.6) 		8.7
(47.7) 		11.3
(52.3) 		14.9
(58.8) 		18.2
(64.8) 		20.3
(68.5) 		20.1
(68.2) 		16.7
(62.1) 		13.0
(55.4) 		8.6
(47.5) 		5.9
(42.6) 		12.4
(54.4)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) 2.7
(36.9) 		2.2
(36.0) 		4.0
(39.2) 		6.0
(42.8) 		9.7
(49.5) 		12.9
(55.2) 		14.6
(58.3) 		14.3
(57.7) 		11.2
(52.2) 		8.8
(47.8) 		5.2
(41.4) 		2.9
(37.2) 		7.9
(46.2)
Mean minimum °C (°F) −6.1
(21.0) 		−5.1
(22.8) 		−3.0
(26.6) 		−0.6
(30.9) 		2.7
(36.9) 		6.8
(44.2) 		8.8
(47.8) 		7.7
(45.9) 		4.5
(40.1) 		0.8
(33.4) 		−2.8
(27.0) 		−5.2
(22.6) 		−8.0
(17.6)
Record low °C (°F) −18.2
(−0.8) 		−17.0
(1.4) 		−11.3
(11.7) 		−4.9
(23.2) 		−3.7
(25.3) 		1.6
(34.9) 		3.9
(39.0) 		3.2
(37.8) 		−0.5
(31.1) 		−5.4
(22.3) 		−12.0
(10.4) 		−21.0
(−5.8) 		−21.0
(−5.8)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 65.9
(2.59) 		49.1
(1.93) 		52.2
(2.06) 		51.1
(2.01) 		63.2
(2.49) 		55.1
(2.17) 		49.4
(1.94) 		49.0
(1.93) 		50.8
(2.00) 		65.5
(2.58) 		67.1
(2.64) 		75.0
(2.95) 		693.4
(27.29)
Average precipitation days 11.0 9.6 9.4 9.0 9.5 7.9 7.3 7.1 7.7 10.6 11.3 11.6 112
Average relative humidity (%) 87 83 78 74 75 73 72 74 79 86 88 88 79.8
Mean monthly sunshine hours 65 94 139 180 207 221 233 226 185 118 75 67 1,810
Source 1: Meteo France[12]
Source 2: Infoclimat (humidity 1961–1990)[13]

Demographics

As of 2018, there were 367,082 inhabitants in the metropolitan area (aire d'attraction) of Le Mans, with 143,252 of these living in the city proper (commune).[14] In 1855 Le Mans absorbed four neighbouring communes.[15] The population data for 1851 and earlier in the table and graph below refer to the pre-1855 borders.

Historical population of Le Mans
YearPop.±% p.a.
1793 18,855—    
1800 18,081−0.60%
1806 19,030+0.86%
1821 18,881−0.05%
1831 19,792+0.47%
1836 23,164+3.20%
1841 25,189+1.69%
1846 27,461+1.74%
1851 27,059−0.29%
1856 34,664+5.08%
1861 37,209+1.43%
1866 45,230+3.98%
1872 46,981+0.64%
1876 50,175+1.66%
1881 55,347+1.98%
1886 57,591+0.80%
1891 57,412−0.06%
1896 60,075+0.91%
YearPop.±% p.a.
1901 63,272+1.04%
1906 65,467+0.68%
1911 69,361+1.16%
1921 71,783+0.34%
1926 72,867+0.30%
1931 76,868+1.07%
1936 84,525+1.92%
1946 100,455+1.74%
1954 111,891+1.36%
1962 132,181+2.10%
1968 143,246+1.35%
1975 152,285+0.88%
1982 147,697−0.44%
1990 145,502−0.19%
1999 146,105+0.05%
2007 144,164−0.17%
2012 143,599−0.08%
2017 142,946−0.09%
Source: EHESS[15] and INSEE (1968–2017)[16]

Transportation

The Gare du Mans is the main railway station of Le Mans. It takes 1 hour to reach Paris from Le Mans by TGV high speed train. There are also TGV connections to Lille, Marseille, Nantes, Rennes and Brest. Gare du Mans is also a hub for regional trains. Le Mans inaugurated a new light rail system on 17 November 2007.[17]

Sport

Motorsport

Dunlop Curve
Handprints and signatures from the winners of the 1992 edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Mark Blundell, Derek Warwick, and Yannick Dalmas, at Le Mans

The first French Grand Prix took place on a 64-mile (103 km) circuit based at Le Mans in 1906.

Since the 1920s, the city has been best known for its connection with motorsports. There are two official and separate racing tracks at Le Mans, though they share certain portions. The smaller is the Bugatti Circuit (named after Ettore Bugatti, founder of the car company bearing his name), a relatively short permanent circuit, which is used for racing throughout the year and regularly hosts the French motorcycle Grand Prix. The longer and more famous Circuit de la Sarthe is composed partly of public roads. These are closed to the public when the track is in use for racing. Since 1923, this route has been used for the famous 24 Hours of Le Mans sports car endurance race. Boutiques and shops are set up during the race, selling merchandise and promoting products for cars.

The "Le Mans start" was formerly used in the 24-hour race: drivers lined up across the track from their cars, ran across the track, jumped into their cars and started them to begin the race.

The 1955 Le Mans disaster was a large accident during the race that killed eighty-four spectators.

Basketball

The city is home to Le Mans Sarthe Basket, 2006 Champion of the LNB Pro A, France's top professional basketball division.

The team plays its home games at the Antarès, which served as one of the host arenas of the FIBA EuroBasket 1999.

Football

Cycling

Notable people

See also: List of 24 Hours of Le Mans fatalities

Le Mans was the birthplace of:

Basil Moreau around 1860

Notable residents include:

Died in Le Mans:

International relations

See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in France

Le Mans is twinned with:[18]

Gastronomy

The culinary specialty of Le Mans is rillettes, a shredded pork pâté.

Landmarks

Located at Mayet near Le Mans, the Le Mans-Mayet transmitter has a height of 342 m and is one of the tallest radio masts in France.

Panorama of Le Mans, facing north-west
  • Le Mans has been a setting for numerous feature films that feature its famous race.[19]
  • Le Mans is a setting for sections of the 2020 novel, The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, by V.E. Schwab.[20]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ birthplace of Henry II of England (now part of the Hôtel de Ville (City Hall) and not open to the public)

References

  1. ^ "Répertoire national des élus: les maires". data.gouv.fr, Plateforme ouverte des données publiques françaises (in French). 2 December 2020.
  2. ^ "Populations légales 2021" (in French). The National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies. 28 December 2023.
  3. ^ Geography 2.8.8
  4. ^ Butler, R. M. (1958). "The Roman Walls of le Mans". The Journal of Roman Studies. 48 (1/2): 33–39. doi:10.2307/298210. JSTOR 298210. S2CID 162544388.
  5. ^ King, Edmund (2010). King Stephen. New Haven, Connecticut, United States: Yale University Press. p. 37. ISBN 978-0-300-11223-8.
  6. ^ a b "Le Mans | History, Geography, & Points of Interest | Britannica". 11 June 2023.
  7. ^ Combs, Harry (1979). Kill Devil Hill: Discovering the Secret of the Wright Brothers. Englewood: TernStyle Press, Ltd. pp. 266–281. ISBN 0940053020.
  8. ^ Blumenson, Martin, Breakout and Pursuit, Center of Military History, United States Army, Washington, D.C., 1989, pp. 436–8
  9. ^ Johnson, David C. (1988), U.S. Army Air Forces Continental Airfields (ETO), D-Day to V-E Day; Research Division, USAF Historical Research Center, Maxwell AFB, Alabama.
  10. ^ Maurer, Maurer. Air Force Combat Units of World War II. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History, 1983. ISBN 0-89201-092-4.
  11. ^ Triger, Robert (1898). "L'Hotel-de-Ville du Mans (1471-1898)". Marsy Arthur de Bulletin Monumental. pp. 296–298.
  12. ^ "Données climatiques de la station de Le Mans" (PDF) (in French). Meteo France. Retrieved 10 September 2023.
  13. ^ "Normes et records 1961–1990: Le Mans – Arnage (72) – altitude 51m" (in French). Infoclimat. Retrieved 9 January 2016.
  14. ^ Comparateur de territoire: Aire d'attraction des villes 2020 du Mans (034), INSEE
  15. ^ a b Des villages de Cassini aux communes d'aujourd'hui: Commune data sheet Le Mans, EHESS (in French).
  16. ^ Population en historique depuis 1968, INSEE
  17. ^ "Le Mans light rail takes off". Railway Gazette International. 6 January 2008. Archived from the original on 16 June 2011. Retrieved 5 March 2010.
  18. ^ "Les jumelages". lemans.fr (in French). Le Mans. Retrieved 14 November 2019.
  19. ^ "The 5 Best 24 Hours of le Mans Movies". 14 June 2016.
  20. ^ "The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue: Recap & Summary". The Bibliofile. 5 October 2020. Retrieved 15 February 2022.

Bibliography

See also: Bibliography of the history of Le Mans
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Le Mans.
Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Le Mans.

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