Pôle européen du cheval: 50 hectares of equestrian competitions on the edge of Le Mans, open to the public

“Anyone can come, alone, with family, however they like,” Emmanuelle told us as she welcomed us. You can watch competitions where kids on their first pony share the grounds with riders from all over Europe. And it's ten minutes from the center of Le Mans.

A show almost every weekend

Almost every weekend of the year, something is happening on the site. Most often show jumping or dressage, but also vaulting, horseball, or pony games. And every level shares the grounds: you can see little ones run their course on a Shetland, “and that's very cute too,” then, on the next ring over, international-level horse-and-rider pairs.

You don't have to be a rider or entered in the competition to come watch the events. Admission details are listed on each competition's page, in the Pôle's calendar: admission is free, for example, for the mid-October dressage competition and for the Grand National in November.

Much more than a competition

What surprised us most was everything you can do around the rings:

• stroll along the paths, and even along the cross-country course when there's no event, the way you would at the Arche de la Nature;
• browse about twenty shops, which sell more than just riding gear;
• eat on site during competitions: a self-service cafeteria, a panoramic restaurant upstairs, and a crêperie;
• have a drink or a pizza at Le Mans Padel, set up in one of the buildings and open every day of the week.

You can also come for a walk on weekdays, outside of competitions: “you can come for a walk anytime.” And your dog can come along, on a leash.

It all started with eight stalls

In 1982, Philippe Rossi is 17 and has one passion: horses. His parents move with him into a house across the road, with eight stalls and a pasture. He becomes a professional rider, builds a career and an arena, then organizes his first competitions under the name Boulerie Jump.

The site has grown step by step. First several rings running at the same time, a format that was rare in France then, to host lots of riders every weekend. Then two large covered buildings for competing year-round, whose roofs carry 8,000 m² of solar panels. About forty riders devoted to the place took part in the adventure. More recently, all the rings were switched to sub-irrigation: the water comes from underneath, which saves about 70% of the water and gives horses a perfectly even surface.

A European-level site, on the edge of Le Mans

Today, the Pôle covers about fifty hectares, has 400 permanent stalls, and can host up to 1,500 horses at its major events. It hosts international competitions and European championships, it is recognized by the French Equestrian Federation, and it was selected as a training base for the Games. Riders come from all over Europe, and sometimes from Asia or the Americas, during their European tours. You can even stay overnight: cottages, gîtes, and rooms sleep up to 300 people, and everything is full during the 24 Heures.

Our tips for a first visit

• Check the calendar on the Pôle's website to pick your weekend and the discipline that appeals to you, and check the event's page for admission details.
• Bring good shoes if you want to walk the rings and the cross-country course: the site is big and rural.
• With kids, a pony competition weekend is a great first time: the riders are their age.

Thank you

Thank you to Emmanuelle for opening the doors of the Pôle to us and telling us its story. We left with one certainty: we'll be back, with the kids.

This place is really worth the trip: share this article with someone who loves horses, or who is looking for a family outing this weekend.

Getting there

• Pôle européen du cheval, 648 route de Feumusson, Yvré-l'Évêque (about ten minutes from the center of Le Mans).
• Free access to walk around the site, on weekdays and weekends alike, except areas reserved for seminars.
• For competitions, admission details are on each event's page, in the Pôle's calendar. Visitor parking: Pôle 4.
• Competition calendar and event times: on the Pôle's website.
• Upcoming events (subject to change): Tournée des As poneys from October 30 to November 1, Grand National show jumping from November 12 to 15, Concours de Noël from December 4 to 6, and the Christmas equestrian show “Au Galop dans les Étoiles” from December 11 to 20 (paid show, by reservation).
• Dogs welcome, on a leash.
• The Pôle européen du cheval page on Sortir au Mans