Situated in the region of Pays-de-la-Loire, the departement of Sarthe is famous for two things; beautiful natural scenery and the Le Mans 24 hour race. The historic town of Le Mans really comes alive when this world-renowned event is taking place, but even if you aren't lucky enough to be there at the right time of year, the city is still worth visiting. And there might be another, shorter event taking place at the circuit. Sarthe is an ideal location for those who enjoy getting outdoors on their holidays, with walking and biking trails, rivers and lakes to keep them amused. In an area famous for its high-speed motor racing, you can even find some more extreme activities to keep the adrenaline pumping
The outstanding natural beauty of the Sarthe region has made it popular with tourists for many years. Walkers can explore over 5,000 kilometres of marked trails, with cyclists and mountain bikers not far behind either. There are several ways to explore the region by water too, whether you just want to sit back on an organised boat trip or head onto the river under your own stream in a canoe. Various outdoor activity centres have been set up in recent years to take advantage of the natural environment in Sarthe, offering more unusual activities like canyoning, jumping off waterfalls into the pools below, quad bike safaris and even parachute jumping.
You can take it easy if you want, by staying firmly on the ground and on your own two feet. Or there are plenty of places in the towns where you can hire bikes, and equestrian centres who organise day-long tours of the countryside on horseback. Local tourist offices will be able to supply you with detailed maps of the best routes to follow, depending on your experience and fitness.
The Le Mans 24 hour race has been taking place at the town's circuit since 1923 and is usually held in early June. Tickets can be tough to come by for the final event, but over the course of the weekend, there are lots of shorter races and a real party atmosphere develops at the circuit and in the town, with special events organised and activities arranged for children. Le Mans also hosts other motor racing events throughout the year, which are much less popular, so you can always go to one of these and say you've seen a race at the 24 hours circuit!
Looking for self catering holiday accommodation in Sarthe? Then below is a selection of gites in Sarthe and villas in Sarthe that can be rented direct from their owners. You can either click on each listing for further details or you can use our search engine on the left if you are looking for something in particular.
