Le Mans
18730
224992031
2008-07-11T10:27:11Z
194.65.130.38
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{{French commune|nomcommune=Le Mans<br>[[Image:Palais des Comtes du Maine- Le Mans.jpg|300px]]<br><small>Palais of Comtes du Maine, birth place of [[Henry II of England]] </small>
| région=[[Pays de la Loire]] |département=[[Sarthe]] (''[[préfecture]]'')| arrondissement=Le Mans
|canton=Chief town of 9 cantons|insee=72181|cp= 72000||diallingcode=(0)243 | maire= [[Jean-Claude Boulard]]|mandat= 2001–2008
|intercomm= [[Communauté urbaine du Mans]]|longitude=0.198784
|latitude=48.020013
|alt moy=51 m |alt mini=38 m |alt maxi=134 m |hectares=5,281|km²=52.81|sans=146,105 |date-sans=1999
|dens=2,766.6 |date-dens=1999}}
'''Le Mans''' ({{pronounced|ləmɑ̃}} in [[French language|French]]) is a [[commune in France|city]] in [[France]], located on the [[Sarthe River]]. Traditionally the capital of the province of [[Maine (province)|Maine]], it is now the ''[[préfecture]]'' (capital) of the [[Sarthe]] ''[[Département in France|département]]'', and is furthermore the seat of the [[Roman Catholic]] [[diocese of Le Mans]]. Its inhabitants are called ''Manceaux'' and ''Mancelles''. It has been host to the famous [[24 Hours of Le Mans]] sports car race since 1923.
==History==
First mentioned by [[Ptolemy]] (''Geography'' 2.8.8), the [[Roman Empire|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]]). Their city lies in the ancient Roman [[Roman province|province]] of [[Gallia Lugdunensis]]. An [[amphitheatre]] built in the [[3rd century]] AD is still visible.
[[Gregory of Tours]] mentions a [[Franks|Frankish]] sub-king Rigomer, who was killed by [[Clovis I|Clovis]] in his campaign to unite the Frankish territories.
As the principal city of [[Maine (province of France)|Maine]], Le Mans was the stage for struggles in the 11th century between the counts of [[Anjou]] and the dukes of [[Normandy]]. When the Normans had control of Maine, [[William the Conqueror]] was able to successfully invade [[England]]; however in 1069 the citizens revolted and expelled the Normans, which led to [[Hugh V of Maine|Hugh V]] being proclaimed [[List of Counts and Dukes of Maine|count of Maine]].
During [[World War II]], Le Mans was liberated by the [[U.S. 5th Armored Division|US 5th Armored Division]] on [[August 8]], [[1944]] following their breakout from the [[Battle of Normandy|Normandy beachheads]].
==Sights==
Le Mans has a well-preserved old town (''Cité Plantagenêt'', also called ''Vieux Mans'') and a [[cathedral]]: [[Cathédrale St-Julien]], dedicated to [[St Julian of Le Mans]], who is honoured as the city's first bishop. There are remnants of a [[Ancient Rome|Roman]] wall in the old town and Roman baths by the river.
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==Demographics==
At the 1999 French census, there were 293,159 inhabitants in the metropolitan area (''[[aire urbaine]]'') of Le Mans, with 146,105 of these living in the city proper ([[commune in France|commune]]).
{{Demography 7col|510px|1962|1968|1975|1982|1990|1999|2006
| 132,181 | 143,246 | 152,285 | 147,697 | 145,502 | 146,105 |141,432}}
<small>source : http://www.insee.fr/fr/ffc/docs_ffc/psdc.htm</small>
==Sport==
===Motorsport===
The city is best known for its connection with motorsports. There are actually two separate racing tracks at Le Mans, though they share certain portions. The smaller is the [[Bugatti Circuit]] (named after [[Ettore Bugatti]], founder of the [[Bugatti|car company]] bearing his name), a relatively short permanent circuit which is used for racing throughout the year. The longer and more famous [[Circuit de la Sarthe]] is composed partly of public roads, which are closed to the public when the track is in use for racing, and has been host to the famous [[24 Hours of Le Mans]] [[Sports car racing|sports car race]] since 1923. Boutiques and shops are set up during the race selling merchandise and promoting products for cars. The first [[French Grand Prix]] took place here [[1906 French Grand Prix|in 1906]]. The "Le Mans start" takes its name from the way racers lined up across the street from their cars and ran across the street and jumped into their cars to begin.
===Basketball===
*[[Le Mans Sarthe Basket]]
===Football===
*[[Le Mans UC72]]
==Births==
Le Mans was the birthplace of:
* [[Henry II of England]], born 1133
* [[Geoffrey of Anjou|Geoffroy V d'Anjou]], born 1113
* [[Geoffrey de Goreham]] or Gorron, became Abbott of St Albans, Hertfordshire, UK, in 1119
* [[Dom Louis Le Pelletier]], born [[1663]], linguist of the [[breton language]]
* [[Gilles-François de Beauvais]], born [[7 July]] 1693, was a Jesuit writer and preacher.
* [[Jean Rondeau]], born in 1946, racecar driver and constructor
* [[François Fillon]], born in 1954, Prime Minister of France.
* [[Julien Cottereau]], born 1969, actor and clown - Cirque du Soleil, now in his own show Imagine Toi.
* [[Sébastien Bourdais]], born 1979, racecar driver
* [[Jo-Wilfried Tsonga]], born 1985, professional tennis player.
==Sister Cities==
* {{flagicon|England}} - [[Bolton]], [[England]]
* {{flagicon|Western Sahara}} - [[Haouza]], [[Western Sahara]]
* {{flagicon|Germany}} - [[Paderborn]], [[Germany]] - officially since 1967, traditionally since 836 (oldest partnership of its kind in Europe).
* {{flagicon|Russia}} - [[Rostov-on-Don]], [[Russia]]
* {{flagicon|Japan}} - [[Suzuka, Mie|Suzuka]], [[Japan]]
* {{flagicon|Greece}} - [[Volos]], [[Greece]]
==Others==
The culinary specialty of Le Mans is ''[[rillettes]]'', a shredded pork paté.
At Mayet, near Le Mans, and with a height of 342m, the [[Transmitter Le Mans-Mayet|Le Mans-Mayet transmitter]] is one of the tallest radio masts in France.
==External links==
{{Commons|Le Mans}}
* [http://www.planetlemans.com/ Le Mans 24h] {{en}}
* [http://www.ville-lemans.fr/ Official website] {{fr}}
* [http://www.ville-lemans.fr/visite-360/ Virtual visit] {{fr}}
* [http://www.lemansnights.com/ Le Mans Nights — Unique experience in Europe.] {{en}} {{fr}}
* [http://france-for-visitors.com/loire/le-mans/index.html Visiting Le Mans (maps and aerial pictures)] {{en}}
* [http://www.lemans.org/24heuresdumans/live/pages/accueil_gb.html Le Mans 24 Hours official site] {{en}}
* [http://www.findingdulcinea.com/news/on-this-day/May-June-08/On-this-Day--Eighty-three-Killed-in-Le-Mans-Racing-Disaster.html On This Day 1955: 83 Killed in Le Mans Disaster] {{en}}
* [http://west.france-province.net/LeMans-oldTown.html Pictures of Le Mans, old town and cathedral] {{en}} * [http://www.lesminiatures.com/shopdisplayproducts.asp?id=144&cat=Le+Mans Official miniature car winner Le Mans] {{en}}
* [http://lemansblog.blogspot.com Unofficial blog about Le Mans (French)] {{fr}}
* [http://www.lemans-sensations.com Le Mans Sensations] - Photos, news and travel guide dedicated to the 24 Hours of Le Mans {{en}}
* [http://www.beermountain.com/ Beermountain] - (A fan Site With advice on camping at the event) {{en}}
* [http://www.24rollers.com/ 24h Roller skating of Le Mans website]
* [http://www.lemans-history.com/ lemans-history.com - The history of a Legend (Luis Santos)] {{en}} {{fr}}
{{Préfectures of départements of France}}
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[[Category:Communes of Sarthe]]
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