Plounerin → Le Mans

Cité Plantagenêt and cathedral

Start in the Cité Plantagenêt, where timber-framed houses and narrow lanes cluster within the old Roman walls. The Saint-Julien Cathedral combines Romanesque and Gothic work, with a long view over the Sarthe from its hilltop setting. Nearby, the former Palace of the Counts of Maine connects the quarter with Plantagenet history.

The racing circuit

The 24 Hours of Le Mans circuit is a major part of local identity, though the race uses public roads as well as permanent track. The Musée des 24 Heures explains the event’s engineering and endurance tradition; contrast its machines with the quiet streets of the old centre.