Le Mans City Map Poster

About Le Mans

Le Mans is a part of the historic province of Maine, now divided into two departments, Sarthe to the west and Mayenne to the east. Le Mans is located at from Paris and from Rouen. The city was in Gaul one of the principal towns of a Celtic tribe. Although several areas of Neolithic settlements have been identified in this area (including an important Gallic temple), no substantial remains survive today; however, there are some ruins still visible on what was once known as "Brocadero" ("the site with buildings"). The Roman town was given Latin rights by Emperor Vespasian (reigned 69–79 AD). Its name may be derived from that or other native language terms meaning either "leek garden", or more probably "place surrounded by marshes".