Le Mans is the prefecture town of the Sarthe, in the Pays de la Loire region. With around 145 000 inhabitants, it is the department's main city and the heart of an urban area of more than 200 000 people. The city grew at the confluence of the Sarthe and the Huisne, halfway between Paris and the Atlantic coast. Its station, served by the high-speed line, puts the capital about 55 minutes away, an advantage that weighs on its property market.
The city carries a strong historic identity, that of the Plantagenets. The Cité Plantagenêt, also known as the old town, is the medieval centre: twenty hectares of paved lanes, timber-framed houses and Renaissance mansions, ringed by the Gallo-Roman walls, among the best preserved in Europe. The cathedral of Saint-Julien dominates the ensemble. Le Mans is also known worldwide for the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the motor race held each year on the Sarthe circuit, south of the city.
Le Mans today rests on Le Mans University and its Ribay campus, on a tramway network (lines T1 and T2, the SETRAM network) that shapes travel across the city, and on an economy geared towards insurance, industry and services. The Jardin des Plantes and the parc de Tessé punctuate the city with green space. That setting, combined with moderate prices and the proximity of Paris, shapes an affordable property market, sought after both for buying and for investing.
