We had at least one good reason to go to Le Mans—we had never been to Le Mans.

To me, Le Mans, just like Angers before we added it to our list of cities worth exploring again once in a while, was a three-minute stop announced by a disembodied voice on the train to or from Paris. “If you’re not getting off at Le Mans, please stay on the train.” Since I was never getting off in Le Mans but in Paris or Nantes, I was always staying on the train, forever missing out on what Le Mans had to offer.

When Mark and I arrived in France three weeks ago, we took a train from CDG Airport to Le Mans, then we transferred to another train to Nantes because the tickets were cheaper than the direct CDG Airport-Nantes.

We spent 10 minutes in Le Mans, just long enough to get off the train, rush across the station, and jump on the TER to Nantes.

Surely, Le Mans deserved a longer visit.

And we have time to spare this summer.

France’s weather is temperate this year, with temperatures hovering around 22°C. It may sound great to you if you’re stuck in one of the sizzling heat waves but trust me, 22°C is way too cold to hang out at the beach—it’s too windy, too chilly, too cloudy by the ocean.

Great temperatures for urban fun but not swimsuit weather.

Oh well.

And this is why I planned a day trip to Le Mans, a city nowhere close to a beach and with surprisingly high temperatures last Wedndesday.

Le Mans is mostly famous for hosting the prestigious 24 Hours of Le Mans, the world’s oldest active endurance sports car race. The French also associate the city with a local recipe of rillettes, some kind of pork spread.

Nothing to get excited about because the 24 Hours of Le Mans are over and we don’t eat rillettes. But surely, there was something to see in Le Mans.

Exploring a new city is a treat. I love these first few minutes when you step out of the airport, the bus station or the train station and you scan the surroundings, trying to figure out how the city works and where to go first. The first street could take you somewhere exciting… or not. And then you try again until you find out the cool spots, the sights, the viewpoints and the busy areas. It’s fun.

Yes, I’ve heard of Google Maps. I use it too. But Google Maps doesn’t say much about the atmosphere of the place. First-hand experience is best.

We started walking along endless quiet streets. I was surprised to see how multicultural the small city was—I guess rent prices are cheaper than in Paris. The newest neighbourhoods weren’t too inspiring—too quiet, too plain, even though the buildings were lovely.

The cathedral and the old town were more picturesque, especially around the pink mortar and ochre sandstone blocks of the Gallo-Roman city walls. It was a lovely neighbourhood, full of cobblestoned alleyways lined with half-timbered houses—it’s crazy to think how old it is, actually.

And this is where we spent most of our time, between gothic architecture, courtyard garden and vintage beauty.

I will have to go back a few times to figure it out better but our stop in Le Mans was definitely worth it.