[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"habillage":3,"evenement-visites-guidees-week-end-epau-2026-2027":5,"evenement-visites-guidees-week-end-epau-2026-2027-venue":68,"evenement-visites-guidees-week-end-epau-2026-2027-related":112},{"saison":4},"halloween",{"id":6,"slug":7,"title":8,"description":9,"starts_at":10,"ends_at":11,"occurrences":12,"price_text":13,"is_free":14,"image_url":12,"image_credit":12,"external_url":15,"status":16,"type":17,"accroche":18,"tarif":12,"prix_min":12,"prix_max":12,"reservation":19,"etat":12,"forme":20,"horaires":21,"sans_heure":14,"performers":12,"traductions":30,"description_long":38,"organizer_name":12,"organizer_about":12,"video_url":12,"source_url":15,"styles":12,"pratique":12,"details":12,"fermetures":12,"dates_etat":12,"date_initiale":12,"category":39,"venue":48},"7a341a19-15dd-438d-9a6b-f1e5264b4104","visites-guidees-week-end-epau-2026-2027","Visites guidées de l'Abbaye Royale de l'Épau (week-ends)","Visite guidée de l'abbaye les samedis et dimanches à 11 h et 16 h, de septembre à juin.","2026-10-17T09:00:00+00:00","2027-06-27T15:00:00+00:00",null,"Supplément de 3 € en plus du droit d'entrée",false,"https:\u002F\u002Fepau.sarthe.fr\u002Fanimations-culturelles-et-patrimoniales","published","visite","Chaque samedi et dimanche, l'équipe de médiation raconte l'abbaye cistercienne et sa fondatrice, Bérengère de Navarre, reine d'Angleterre.","obligatoire","periode",[22,25,27,29],{"jour":23,"debut":24},6,"11:00",{"jour":23,"debut":26},"16:00",{"jour":28,"debut":24},7,{"jour":28,"debut":26},{"en-US":31},{"_h":32,"title":33,"accroche":34,"price_text":35,"description":36,"description_long":37},"10e2842e21cd28cc","Guided tours of the Abbaye Royale de l’Épau (weekends)","Every Saturday and Sunday, the mediation team tells the story of the Cistercian abbey and its founder, Bérengère of Navarre, Queen of England.","€3 supplement on top of admission","Guided tour of the abbey on Saturdays and Sundays at 11 AM and 4 PM, from September to June.","From September to June, the Abbaye Royale de l’Épau offers a guided tour every Saturday and Sunday at 11 AM and 4 PM. Led by the mediation team, it traces the history of the Cistercian abbey founded in the 13th century and that of its founder, Bérengère of Navarre, Queen of England and widow of Richard the Lionheart.\n\nReservation required: 02 43 84 22 29 or epau.accueil@sarthe.fr. The tour goes ahead starting from 3 people.","De septembre à juin, l'Abbaye Royale de l'Épau propose une visite guidée chaque samedi et dimanche, à 11 h et à 16 h. Conduite par l'équipe de médiation, elle retrace l'histoire de l'abbaye cistercienne fondée au XIIIe siècle et celle de sa fondatrice, Bérengère de Navarre, reine d'Angleterre et veuve de Richard Cœur de Lion.\n\nRéservation obligatoire : 02 43 84 22 29 ou epau.accueil@sarthe.fr. Départ assuré à partir de 3 personnes.",{"icon":40,"name":41,"slug":42,"color":43,"traductions":44},"landmark","Patrimoine & Visites","patrimoine","#92400E",{"en-US":45},{"_h":46,"name":47},"ae438ee7f7c998aa","Heritage & Tours",{"lat":49,"lng":50,"city":51,"name":52,"slug":53,"address":54,"logo_url":12,"image_url":55,"traductions":56},48.006226,0.277726,"Yvré-l'Évêque","Abbaye Royale de l'Épau","abbaye-royale-de-lepau","Route de Changé","https:\u002F\u002Frxpslhyadfopswypqcpv.supabase.co\u002Fstorage\u002Fv1\u002Fobject\u002Fpublic\u002Fevent-images\u002Fvenue-abbaye-royale-de-lepau.jpg",{"en-US":57},{"_h":58,"history":59,"practical":60,"description":66,"description_long":67},"074f5050b40be138","L'Abbaye Royale de l'Épau was founded by Queen Berengaria of Navarre, widow of Richard the Lionheart, King of England. King Louis IX (Saint Louis) granted her the land in 1228. The founding charter of this Cistercian monastery for men is dated 1229, and an agreement settling a dispute with the Hôtel-Dieu de Coëffort was reached in 1230, the year twelve monks from Cîteaux, led by their abbot Jean, settled at l'Épau. Berengaria died in 1230, barely a year after the foundation, and was buried in the abbey she had founded. The church was consecrated by the bishop of Le Mans in 1234. Her recumbent effigy, now visible in the abbey church, remains one of the most moving witnesses to this history.\n\nThe monks drained the surrounding marshes and diverted the course of the Huisne to make room for construction, which progressed from south to north: church, sacristy, chapter house, dormitory and refectory, with Gothic embellishments added around 1260 to 1320. During the Hundred Years' War, the abbey was damaged in the 1360s (a fire in 1365 is traditionally cited, although recent historical work has nuanced this). In 1367, King Charles V authorized funding for the reconstruction using part of the ransom paid for the release of John II the Good. From 1479, King Louis XI imposed the commendam by appointing Thomas des Capitaines as the first commendatory abbot, breaking with the traditional monastic election and sparking conflicts, sometimes violent, such as under Abbot Macé Petiot in the 1490s.\n\nDuring the Revolution, an inventory was drawn up on August 28, 1790, and the monks left in October of that year. The abbey, now national property, was sold to an industrialist who turned it into a laundry and then a farm, keeping it in agricultural use for more than a century and a half. On June 18, 1959, the Sarthe departmental council bought back the abbey for eleven million francs and launched a major restoration respectful of its 13th-century architecture. The Department has held its assemblies there since the 1970s, and in 1982, at the initiative of its president Michel d'Aillières, created the Festival de l'Épau, today one of France's major classical music events (42nd edition in May 2026). In March 2017, the site was officially renamed “Abbaye Royale de l'Épau” to highlight its royal character, brought to light by recent historical research. Since 2016, its cultural management has been entrusted to Sarthe Culture.",{"hours":61,"access":62,"transit":63,"telephone":64,"accessibilite":65},"September 1 to June 30: Wednesday through Sunday, 11 AM–6 PM, and Mondays during school holidays. July 1 to August 31: every day except Tuesday, 10 AM–7 PM. Closed Tuesdays, December 25 and January 1. Last entries 30 minutes before closing.","Route de Changé, in Yvré-l'Évêque, just outside Le Mans. By the A28 motorway: exit 23 “Le Mans Z.I. Sud,” follow “Le Mans Centre,” then “Abbaye de l'Épau.” Le Mans train station is 55 minutes from Paris by TGV.","Tram line 2, toward Espal - Arche de la Nature, Épau - Gué Bernisson stop (about 15 minutes from the SNCF train station), then a 5-minute walk. Bus line 6, toward Saint-Martin, Gué Bernisson stop.","02 43 84 22 29","Video guide in French Sign Language (LSF). FALC booklet (Easy to Read and Easy to Understand) available on request at the front desk. Audio tours on the Guidigo app.","Cistercian abbey founded in 1230 by Bérengère de Navarre, widow of Richard Cœur de Lion, and considered one of the most beautiful Cistercian jewels in France. The estate includes the abbey church, the monastic buildings, and a wooded park on the banks of the Huisne.","On the outskirts of Le Mans, in the commune of Yvré-l'Évêque, the Abbaye Royale de l'Épau is a former Cistercian monastery that has kept a remarkable medieval architectural unity. The abbey church, cloister, chapter house, scriptorium, warming room, and monks' dormitory can be visited along a heritage trail, complemented by a 17th-century wing. The estate also includes gardens being restored around a permaculture project, a heritage orchard, beehives, a café on site (Café des Moines), and a shop.\n\nManaged since 2016 by Sarthe Culture on behalf of the Sarthe Department, the abbey hosts temporary exhibitions (photography, art), lectures, “Rendez-vous nature,” and activities for families and school groups all year, along with a summer program (“Un été à l'Épau”). Every May it becomes the setting for the Festival de l'Épau, a major classical music festival in the region, and at year's end it offers nighttime illuminations (“Le Voyage lumineux et sonore”). The abbey also hosts seminars and receptions in this exceptional heritage setting.\n\nPeople come for the calm of the cloister, to read 13th-century Cistercian architecture, and for a cultural program that blends heritage, nature, and live performance, just a few minutes from central Le Mans.",{"venue":69},{"id":70,"slug":53,"name":52,"address":54,"postal_code":71,"city":51,"description":72,"website":73,"location":74,"created_at":75,"lng":50,"lat":49,"contact_email":76,"email_source":12,"image_url":55,"image_credit":77,"kind":78,"practical":79,"description_long":84,"history":85,"plan_url":12,"contact_emails":86,"plan_credit":12,"socials":87,"logo_url":12,"logo_source":12,"logo_on_dark":14,"dossier":91,"dossier_sources":92,"dossier_maj":106,"instagram_handle":107,"partenaire_niveau":108,"traductions":109},"609ad509-e7a1-48b0-8752-44ffcbad0bcd","72530","Abbaye cistercienne fondée en 1230 par Bérengère de Navarre, veuve de Richard Cœur de Lion, considérée comme l'un des plus beaux joyaux cisterciens de France. Le domaine comprend l'église abbatiale, les bâtiments conventuels et un parc boisé au bord de l'Huisne.","https:\u002F\u002Fepau.sarthe.fr\u002F","0101000020E6100000E9EDCF4543C6D13F44317903CC004840","2026-07-14T15:15:35.876082+00:00","epau.accueil@sarthe.fr","Photo : Selbymay, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons","parc",{"hours":80,"access":81,"transit":82,"telephone":64,"accessibilite":83},"Du 1er septembre au 30 juin : du mercredi au dimanche de 11h à 18h, et les lundis des vacances scolaires. Du 1er juillet au 31 août : tous les jours sauf le mardi, de 10h à 19h. Fermé le mardi, le 25 décembre et le 1er janvier. Dernières entrées 30 minutes avant la fermeture.","Route de Changé, à Yvré-l'Évêque, à la sortie du Mans. Par l'autoroute A28 : sortie 23 Le Mans Z.I. Sud, suivre Le Mans Centre puis Abbaye de l'Épau. Gare du Mans à 55 min de Paris en TGV.","Tram ligne 2, direction Espal - Arche de la Nature, arrêt Épau - Gué Bernisson (environ 15 min depuis la gare SNCF), puis 5 min à pied. Bus ligne 6, direction Saint-Martin, arrêt Gué Bernisson.","Visioguide en langue des signes française (LSF), livret FALC (Facile à lire et à comprendre) disponible sur demande à l'accueil, visites audio sur l'application Guidigo.","Aux portes du Mans, sur la commune d'Yvré-l'Évêque, l'Abbaye Royale de l'Épau est un ancien monastère cistercien qui a conservé une remarquable unité architecturale médiévale : église abbatiale, cloître, salle du chapitre, scriptorium, chauffoir et dortoir des moines se visitent au fil d'un parcours patrimonial complété par une aile du XVIIe siècle. Le domaine comprend également des jardins en restauration autour d'un projet de permaculture, un verger conservatoire, des ruches et un café (Café des Moines) installé sur place, ainsi qu'une boutique.\n\nGérée depuis 2016 par Sarthe Culture pour le compte du Département de la Sarthe, l'abbaye conjugue toute l'année expositions temporaires (photographie, art), conférences, \"Rendez-vous nature\", animations pour les familles et les scolaires, et une programmation estivale (\"Un été à l'Épau\"). Chaque année en mai, elle devient l'écrin du Festival de l'Épau, rendez-vous majeur de musique classique en région, et propose en fin d'année des illuminations nocturnes (\"Le Voyage lumineux et sonore\"). L'abbaye accueille aussi séminaires et réceptions dans ce cadre patrimonial exceptionnel.\n\nOn y vient pour la sérénité du cloître, la lecture de l'architecture cistercienne du XIIIe siècle, et la richesse d'une programmation culturelle qui mêle patrimoine, nature et spectacle vivant, à quelques minutes du centre du Mans.","L'Abbaye Royale de l'Épau est fondée par la reine Bérengère de Navarre, veuve de Richard Cœur de Lion, roi d'Angleterre. Le roi Louis IX (Saint Louis) lui accorde le terrain en 1228 ; l'acte fondateur de ce monastère cistercien masculin date de 1229, et un accord réglant un différend avec l'Hôtel-Dieu de Coëffort intervient en 1230, année où douze moines venus de Cîteaux, conduits par leur abbé Jean, s'installent à l'Épau. Bérengère meurt en 1230, un an à peine après la fondation, et est inhumée dans l'abbaye dont elle est la fondatrice ; l'église est consacrée par l'évêque du Mans en 1234. Son gisant, aujourd'hui visible dans l'église abbatiale, reste l'un des témoignages les plus émouvants de cette histoire.\n\nLes moines assèchent les marais environnants et détournent le cours de l'Huisne pour asseoir la construction, qui progresse du sud vers le nord : église, sacristie, salle du chapitre, dortoir, réfectoire, avec des embellissements gothiques réalisés entre 1260 et 1320 environ. Durant la guerre de Cent Ans, l'abbaye subit des dommages dans les années 1360 (un incendie en 1365 est traditionnellement évoqué, bien que des travaux historiques récents en nuancent la réalité) ; le roi Charles V autorise en 1367 le financement de la reconstruction grâce à une partie de la rançon versée pour la libération de Jean II le Bon. À partir de 1479, le roi Louis XI impose la commende en nommant Thomas des Capitaines comme premier abbé commendataire, rompant avec l'élection monastique traditionnelle et provoquant des conflits, parfois violents, comme sous l'abbé Macé Petiot dans les années 1490.\n\nÀ la Révolution, un inventaire est dressé le 28 août 1790 et les moines quittent les lieux en octobre de la même année ; l'abbaye, devenue bien national, est vendue à un industriel qui la transforme en blanchisserie puis en ferme, la vouant à un usage agricole pendant plus d'un siècle et demi. Le 18 juin 1959, le Conseil général de la Sarthe rachète l'abbaye pour onze millions de francs et engage une importante restauration respectueuse de l'architecture du XIIIe siècle. Le Département y organise ses assemblées depuis les années 1970, et crée dès 1982, à l'initiative de son président Michel d'Aillières, le Festival de l'Épau, aujourd'hui l'un des grands rendez-vous de musique classique en France (42e édition en mai 2026). En mars 2017, le site est officiellement renommé \"Abbaye Royale de l'Épau\" pour mettre en avant son caractère royal, mis en lumière par des recherches historiques récentes ; depuis 2016, sa gestion culturelle est confiée à Sarthe Culture.",[76],{"twitter":88,"facebook":89,"instagram":90},"https:\u002F\u002Ftwitter.com\u002Fabbaye_epau","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.facebook.com\u002FAbbayeRoyaledelEpau","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.instagram.com\u002F_abbayedelepau_","## Visiter l'abbaye\n\nL'abbaye se visite librement aux heures d'ouverture : église abbatiale avec le gisant de la reine Bérengère, cloître, salle du chapitre, scriptorium, chauffoir et dortoir des moines, puis le parc au bord de l'Huisne, les jardins et le verger. Un livret de visite est remis à l'accueil et des panneaux explicatifs accompagnent les salles. Le site est classé monument historique depuis 1973.\n\nDe septembre à juin, l'équipe de médiation propose une visite guidée chaque samedi et dimanche, à 11 h et à 16 h, consacrée à l'histoire de l'abbaye, à la vie des moines et à sa fondatrice, Bérengère de Navarre. Réservation obligatoire, départ à partir de 3 personnes.\n\n## Les mystères de l'abbaye\n\nNouveauté 2026 : une enquête à mener en équipe dans les salles de l'abbaye. Le corps de la reine Bérengère a disparu pendant la guerre de Cent Ans ; énigmes, symboles et indices permettent de remonter sa trace. Dès 12 ans, à 2 ou 3 joueurs minimum, compter 1 h à 1 h 30. Le kit de jeu se récupère à l'accueil, sans supplément au droit d'entrée.\n\n## En famille\n\nL'abbaye a signé en 2020 la charte Môm'Art, qui engage les lieux de patrimoine à bien accueillir les enfants. Deux livrets-jeux gratuits permettent d'explorer le site en autonomie, l'un pour les 3-6 ans, l'autre pour les 7-12 ans, et une enquête numérique jeune public se joue sur l'application Guidigo.\n\nÀ chaque vacances scolaires, l'abbaye propose une quête à mener en autonomie et des ateliers créatifs le mercredi après-midi, sur réservation, avec un adulte accompagnateur. On peut prolonger par un goûter au Café des Moines.\n\n## Le jardin permacole\n\nDepuis 2017, le parc est réaménagé autour d'un jardin en permaculture. Ruches, mare, forêt nourricière, serre et poulailler y ont pris place, et le tracé du jardin reprend celui de la grande verrière de l'église abbatiale. Une rosace végétale invite à la détente, et la promenade se prolonge le long des douves. Au printemps et à l'automne, des ateliers au jardin sont proposés aux adultes.\n\n## Le Café des Moines et la boutique\n\nAu cœur de l'abbaye, le Café des Moines a une terrasse avec vue sur le parc. Chaque semaine, le chef compose un menu de saison avec des produits cultivés en grande partie dans le jardin permacole. Ouvert du mercredi au dimanche, de 12 h à 18 h ; le midi, sur réservation uniquement (02 43 54 74 91, cafedesmoines@sarthe.fr), salon de thé l'après-midi.\n\nLa boutique propose plus de 500 références : ouvrages spécialisés, produits monastiques, spécialités du terroir, un coin des créateurs et une collection Reine Bérengère. On y trouve aussi les produits du jardin : conserves, tisanes et une liqueur aux plantes aromatiques.\n\n## L'automne et l'hiver à l'Épau\n\nPendant les vacances de la Toussaint : la quête d'automne, un atelier de décoration de citrouilles et un atelier de jaspage, technique de reliure ancienne. Le jeudi 12 novembre, une conférence présente les tapisseries anciennes conservées à l'abbaye. Du 27 novembre au 3 janvier, le Voyage lumineux et sonore illumine le parc à la tombée de la nuit, en accès gratuit. Pendant les vacances de Noël : quête d'hiver, atelier couronne d'hiver et atelier carte de vœux enluminée.\n\n## Réserver\n\nAteliers, quêtes et visites guidées se réservent à l'accueil : 02 43 84 22 29 ou epau.accueil@sarthe.fr. Places limitées.",[93,96,99,101,104],{"url":73,"titre":94,"consulte_le":95},"Site de l'Abbaye Royale de l'Épau","2026-10-12",{"url":97,"titre":98,"consulte_le":95},"https:\u002F\u002Fepau.sarthe.fr\u002Fnos-offres-pour-la-famille","Nos offres pour la famille",{"url":15,"titre":100,"consulte_le":95},"Animations culturelles et patrimoniales",{"url":102,"titre":103,"consulte_le":95},"https:\u002F\u002Fepau.sarthe.fr\u002Fconferences","Conférences",{"url":73,"titre":105,"consulte_le":95},"Programme 2026 de l'abbaye (brochure distribuée à l'accueil)","2026-10-12T20:46:52.37666+00:00","_abbayedelepau_",0,{"en-US":110},{"_h":58,"history":59,"practical":111,"description":66,"description_long":67},{"hours":61,"access":62,"transit":63,"telephone":64,"accessibilite":65},[113,150,183,217],{"id":114,"slug":115,"title":116,"description":12,"starts_at":117,"ends_at":118,"occurrences":12,"price_text":119,"is_free":14,"image_url":120,"image_credit":121,"external_url":122,"status":16,"type":12,"accroche":12,"tarif":12,"prix_min":12,"prix_max":12,"reservation":12,"etat":12,"forme":12,"horaires":12,"sans_heure":14,"performers":12,"traductions":123,"category":129,"venue":132},"fcae57c7-4d92-4fba-a509-0cde48a26484","visite-flash-eglise-de-la-couture-2026-10-27","Visite flash : l'église de la Couture","2026-10-27T14:00:00+00:00","2026-10-27T14:45:00+00:00","3 € \u002F tarif réduit 2 €","https:\u002F\u002Frxpslhyadfopswypqcpv.supabase.co\u002Fstorage\u002Fv1\u002Fobject\u002Fpublic\u002Fevent-images\u002Fvenue-eglise-notre-dame-de-la-couture.jpg","Photo : Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.lemans-tourisme.com\u002Ffr\u002Fse-distraire\u002Fvisites-au-mans.html",{"en-US":124},{"_h":125,"title":126,"price_text":127,"description_long":128},"1c218089ef1d025d","Quick visit: Church of La Couture","€3 \u002F reduced rate €2","A thousand years of history and architecture at the church of Notre-Dame de la Couture, from its crypt dating to the year 1000 to its altarpieces, paintings, and stained glass, in 45 minutes. Guide: Emma Vignolles. Meeting point: church square. No tickets sold on site. Tickets at the Maison du Pilier-Rouge (41-43 Grande-Rue, 02 43 47 40 30) and at the tourist office (16 rue de l'Étoile).",{"icon":40,"name":41,"slug":42,"color":43,"traductions":130},{"en-US":131},{"_h":46,"name":47},{"lat":133,"lng":134,"city":135,"name":136,"slug":137,"address":138,"logo_url":139,"image_url":120,"traductions":140},48.0019647,0.1982558,"Le Mans","Église Notre-Dame de la Couture","eglise-notre-dame-de-la-couture","17 Place Aristide-Briand","https:\u002F\u002Frxpslhyadfopswypqcpv.supabase.co\u002Fstorage\u002Fv1\u002Fobject\u002Fpublic\u002Fvenue-logos\u002Feglise-notre-dame-de-la-couture.jpg",{"en-US":141},{"_h":142,"history":143,"practical":144,"description":148,"description_long":149},"5da2b0a8df261cfa","The abbey was founded just after 605 thanks to the generosity of Bishop Bertechramnus, under the name Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul. It took its current name in 616, when Bertechramnus bequeathed to it the land of Couture. Sacked by the Bretons and then by the Normans in 865 and 866, it was partly destroyed and rebuilt around the year 1000 under Bishop Sigefroi. A major fire in 1180 ravaged much of Le Mans and badly damaged the building, which was rebuilt immediately afterward. Most of today's church dates from this 12th-century rebuilding. It was listed as a historic monument as early as 1840, on the first list of protected sites in France.",{"bus":145,"tram":146,"acces_sources":147},"Lines M, 6, 23, 25 — République stop, 80 m · wheelchair-accessible stop","T1 — République stop, 80 m · wheelchair-accessible stop","Data: SETRAM \u002F Le Mans Métropole (GTFS, Open Licence), © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL)","Former abbey church, next to the Sarthe prefecture.","Former abbey church turned parish church, Notre-Dame-de-la-Couture owes its current silhouette to a 12th-century rebuilding after a fire that devastated Le Mans in 1180. The 42-meter nave, ribbed-vaulted in the Angevin style, has three bays lit by twin windows topped by an oculus. The west portal, carved from 1245 onward, features two angels, four prophets and eight virgins, a remarkable sculptural ensemble for a church in the Maine region. The two façade towers date from the 13th century. The building now stands next to the Sarthe prefecture, built on part of the former convent buildings.",{"id":151,"slug":152,"title":153,"description":12,"starts_at":154,"ends_at":155,"occurrences":12,"price_text":119,"is_free":14,"image_url":156,"image_credit":157,"external_url":122,"status":16,"type":12,"accroche":12,"tarif":12,"prix_min":12,"prix_max":12,"reservation":12,"etat":12,"forme":12,"horaires":12,"sans_heure":14,"performers":12,"traductions":158,"category":163,"venue":166},"ee3511bc-a019-4afc-8e8a-4b9370285d81","visite-flash-eglise-de-la-visitation-2026-10-27","Visite flash : l'église de la Visitation","2026-10-27T15:15:00+00:00","2026-10-27T16:00:00+00:00","https:\u002F\u002Frxpslhyadfopswypqcpv.supabase.co\u002Fstorage\u002Fv1\u002Fobject\u002Fpublic\u002Fevent-images\u002Fvenue-chapelle-de-la-visitation.jpg","Photo : GO69, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons",{"en-US":159},{"_h":160,"title":161,"price_text":127,"description_long":162},"5e375c7d725bbef1","Quick Visit: the Visitation Church","The church and cloister of the former Visitation convent, a Baroque complex designed by a woman architect and nun, Anne-Victoire Pillon, and a rarity in western France. 45-minute tour. Guide: Emma Vignolles. Meeting point: in front of the church. No tickets sold on site. Tickets at the Maison du Pilier-Rouge (41-43 Grande-Rue, 02 43 47 40 30) and at the tourist office (16 rue de l'Étoile).",{"icon":40,"name":41,"slug":42,"color":43,"traductions":164},{"en-US":165},{"_h":46,"name":47},{"lat":167,"lng":168,"city":135,"name":169,"slug":170,"address":171,"logo_url":12,"image_url":156,"traductions":172},48.003796,0.197385,"Chapelle de la Visitation","chapelle-de-la-visitation","Place de la République",{"en-US":173},{"_h":174,"history":175,"practical":176,"description":181,"description_long":182},"2776e98ddea175b9","The chapel's story begins in 1632, when a donation of 20,000 livres was made to the nuns of the Congrégation de Sainte-Marie de la Visitation to found a convent in Le Mans. The following year the city agreed, and Bishop Charles de Beaumanoir de Lavardin gave his blessing. Built in just seven months, the complex proved fragile: by the middle of the 17th century the buildings were at risk of collapse, a fire damaged them in 1662, and the earthquake of October 6, 1711 further weakened the foundations. Reconstruction began in 1713–1714, and around 1730 Mother Superior Louise-Angélique de Balincourt entrusted Anne-Victoire Pillon with building the new church, consecrated on March 22, 1737.\n\nDuring the Revolution, the nuns were expelled (1792) and the buildings became a prison, then a courthouse, before worship resumed there in 1804. In 1858, the building was handed over by the Sarthe department to the City of Le Mans, and it was restored between 1861 and 1865 by architect Denis Darcy. The chapel was listed as a historic monument on March 6, 1906, a listing supplemented by additional protection in 1987.",{"bus":177,"tram":178,"hours":179,"parking":180,"acces_sources":147},"Lines M, 6, 23, 25 — République stop, 30 m · wheelchair-accessible stop","T1 — République stop, 30 m · wheelchair-accessible stop","Open every day 10 AM–12 PM and 3–5 PM, depending on the availability of the volunteers who staff the welcome desk.","Parking 60 m away: Parking de la République (paid, 830 spaces, underground)","Régence-style chapel on Place de la République, notable for its cross plan and dominant dome.","On Place de la République, in the heart of the Vieux Mans, the Chapel of the Visitation surprises with the richness of its interior, in contrast with its understated facade. This jewel of Régence architecture houses a vast central dome that floods two short transepts with light, decorated in a refined Louis XV style with gilding, stucco and woodwork characteristic of 18th-century religious art. Still a place of worship attached to the parish of Saint-Julien Cathedral, it can be visited freely during opening hours, staffed by volunteers.\n\nIts small size and intimate atmosphere make it a popular stop on heritage walks in Le Mans, a short walk from the cathedral and the half-timbered lanes of the Cité Plantagenêt.",{"id":184,"slug":185,"title":186,"description":12,"starts_at":187,"ends_at":188,"occurrences":12,"price_text":189,"is_free":14,"image_url":190,"image_credit":191,"external_url":12,"status":16,"type":12,"accroche":12,"tarif":12,"prix_min":12,"prix_max":12,"reservation":12,"etat":12,"forme":12,"horaires":12,"sans_heure":14,"performers":12,"traductions":192,"category":198,"venue":201},"199386c8-1c10-4f77-b831-b6563b4fd269","visite-stade-marie-marvingt-2026-10-28","Visite : les coulisses du stade Marie-Marvingt","2026-10-28T14:00:00+00:00","2026-10-28T15:30:00+00:00","15 € \u002F tarif réduit 10 €","https:\u002F\u002Frxpslhyadfopswypqcpv.supabase.co\u002Fstorage\u002Fv1\u002Fobject\u002Fpublic\u002Fevent-images\u002Fvenue-stade-marie-marvingt.jpg","Photo : OldLion, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons",{"en-US":193},{"_h":194,"title":195,"price_text":196,"description_long":197},"f2612a634954570a","Visit: Behind the Scenes at the Stade Marie-Marvingt","€15 \u002F reduced rate €10","Executive suites and boxes, media area, pitch-side and locker rooms: 1 hr 30 min behind the scenes at the largest sports and events venue in Le Mans, with support from Le Mans Stadium. Guide: Sibyl Davy. Departure: M1 parking, then entrance A. Online tickets on the Stade Marie-Marvingt website.",{"icon":40,"name":41,"slug":42,"color":43,"traductions":199},{"en-US":200},{"_h":46,"name":47},{"lat":202,"lng":203,"city":135,"name":204,"slug":205,"address":206,"logo_url":207,"image_url":190,"traductions":208},47.960325,0.22211,"Stade Marie-Marvingt","stade-marie-marvingt","Chemin aux Bœufs","https:\u002F\u002Frxpslhyadfopswypqcpv.supabase.co\u002Fstorage\u002Fv1\u002Fobject\u002Fpublic\u002Fvenue-logos\u002Fstade-marie-marvingt.png",{"en-US":209},{"_h":210,"history":211,"practical":212,"description":215,"description_long":216},"1ede2895b246e42b","Construction of the stadium began on August 18, 2008, as a public-private partnership between the City of Le Mans and the Vinci group, which financed half of the 104 million euro total cost in exchange for a 35-year operating concession. Designed by the architecture firm Cardete Huet, known for its aeronautical projects, the building was inaugurated on January 29, 2011, at a Le Mans FC victory over AC Ajaccio (3-0), in the presence of Prime Minister François Fillon and 24,375 spectators.\n\nKnown as the MMArena for ten years after its title sponsor, the insurer Mutuelles du Mans Assurances (MMA), the first naming-rights contract of its kind in France, the stadium changed its name on July 27, 2022, when that contract expired. The City, the owner of the venue, renamed it in tribute to Marie Marvingt (1875–1963), an aviator and pioneering athlete nicknamed “the bride of danger” for her aeronautical feats. It became the first French stadium of more than 20,000 seats to bear a woman's name.\n\nThe stadium replaced the Léon-Bollée stadium as Le Mans FC's home and has marked the history of the club and the city with several major events: a stage start of the Tour de France in 2011, rugby and American football matches, and a record crowd of 24,425 spectators on December 18, 2019, for a League Cup match against Paris Saint-Germain.",{"tram":213,"parking":214,"acces_sources":147},"T1 — Guetteloup stop, 440 m · wheelchair-accessible stop","Parking right in front: bus parking (surface lot)","Multipurpose sports complex, known for hosting a wide range of sporting events.","Stade Marie-Marvingt, home of Le Mans FC, is a multipurpose stadium with 25,064 seats, expandable to about 40,000 for concerts or rugby matches. Located in the Antarès district, south of Le Mans, right in the middle of the Circuit de la Sarthe (the historic circuit of the 24 Hours of Le Mans), it stands out for its 105 x 68 m hybrid pitch, its two giant screens of 45 m² each, its 32 private suites and its 11,000 m² roof combining opaque panels and translucent polycarbonate.\n\nAccessible by tram (Antarès - Stade Marie Marvingt stop), the stadium has free parking reserved for people with reduced mobility (125 spaces), for bicycles, motorcycles and buses, as well as accessible restrooms and food service. Gates open 1.5 hours before each match. Tickets are available at La Pincenardière, online, and at several partner outlets. Beyond soccer, the venue also hosts rugby, American football, concerts and corporate events (seminars, conventions).",{"id":218,"slug":219,"title":220,"description":12,"starts_at":221,"ends_at":222,"occurrences":12,"price_text":119,"is_free":14,"image_url":223,"image_credit":77,"external_url":122,"status":16,"type":12,"accroche":12,"tarif":12,"prix_min":12,"prix_max":12,"reservation":12,"etat":12,"forme":12,"horaires":12,"sans_heure":14,"performers":12,"traductions":224,"category":229,"venue":232},"9e601df4-b83d-41ce-ad0a-b1754fc3ea5e","visite-flash-cathedrale-saint-julien-2026-10-29","Visite flash : la cathédrale Saint-Julien","2026-10-29T14:00:00+00:00","2026-10-29T14:45:00+00:00","https:\u002F\u002Frxpslhyadfopswypqcpv.supabase.co\u002Fstorage\u002Fv1\u002Fobject\u002Fpublic\u002Fevent-images\u002Fvenue-cathedrale-saint-julien.jpg",{"en-US":225},{"_h":226,"title":227,"price_text":127,"description_long":228},"a22cb8aedff6cb1d","Quick Visit: the Saint-Julien Cathedral","In 45 minutes, a tour of the Le Mans cathedral: a journey through medieval architecture, its artworks, and the kings and queens of England and France who shaped its history. Guide: Isabelle Noyer. Departure: Maison du Pilier-Rouge. Tickets at the Maison du Pilier-Rouge (41-43 Grande-Rue, 02 43 47 40 30) and at the tourist office (16 rue de l'Étoile).",{"icon":40,"name":41,"slug":42,"color":43,"traductions":230},{"en-US":231},{"_h":46,"name":47},{"lat":233,"lng":234,"city":135,"name":235,"slug":236,"address":237,"logo_url":12,"image_url":238,"traductions":239},48.00835,0.196927,"Maison du Pilier-Rouge","maison-du-pilier-rouge","41-43 Grande-Rue","https:\u002F\u002Frxpslhyadfopswypqcpv.supabase.co\u002Fstorage\u002Fv1\u002Fobject\u002Fpublic\u002Fevent-images\u002Fvenue-maison-pilier-rouge.jpg",{"en-US":240},{"_h":241,"history":242,"practical":243,"description":249,"description_long":250},"5ab6e4b5941106b9","Built in the 15th and 16th centuries at the corner of Grande-Rue and rue du Pilier-Rouge, this half-timbered house takes its name from the wooden pillar painted red, dating from the first half of the 16th century, that supports the corner of the building. The pillar was listed as a historic monument by order of September 29, 1928; the house and the remains of the courtyard were registered on October 12, 1994. Local legend says the house once belonged to the executioner of Le Mans and that the pillar owes its color to the blood of his victims. Owned by the City of Le Mans, the building now houses the Tourism and Heritage department.",{"bus":244,"tram":245,"hours":246,"phone":247,"parking":248,"acces_sources":147},"Line M — Cité Plantagenêt stop, 120 m · wheelchair-accessible stop","T2 — Jacobins-Quinconces stop, 240 m · wheelchair-accessible stop","Summer tourist welcome: every day 10 AM–12:30 PM and 1:30–6 PM; exhibitions and tours all year, hours available from the Tourism and Heritage department","02 43 47 40 30","Parking right out front: Parking de la Pierre de Tucé (free, 42 spaces, surface lot)","16th-century half-timbered house in the Cité Plantagenêt, headquarters of the City's Tourism and Heritage department.","Located at the corner of Grande-Rue and rue du Pilier-Rouge, in the heart of the Cité Plantagenêt, the Maison du Pilier-Rouge is a 16th-century half-timbered house recognizable by its corner post painted red. It now houses the City of Le Mans's Tourism and Heritage department: most guided tours, heritage workshops, and heritage classes offered in Le Mans start from here. You'll also find a shop and exhibitions on the history and architecture of the city. In season, a summer tourist welcome desk is open here."]