Photo : Frederic GAUDIN / ACO

 

With a population of 146,000 and a metro area with more than 201,000 inhabitants, the city of Le Mans holds 20th place of French towns. After a period of growth, the agglomeration began to decline with deindustrialisation, but the trend was reversed. The TGV's arrival and the development of the highway system situated Le Mans on the Great Britain-Spain axis, improving its appeal. The Brits, passionate about beautiful cars and motorsports, take advantage of these means of transport to roll in during the week of the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

The automotive industry is the second largest employer - after agriculture - in the Le Mans region. Some companies are grouped within the Technoparc, starting with the Institut Automobile du Mans, an organization responsible for promotion and business development. In addition to teams and businesses, a center for competitive training was created with the support of the Education Nationale and the FFSA: the Auto Sport Academy, successor to the Filière ELF, which has given us Sébastien Bourdais (Le Mans native), Romain Dumas, Benoît Tréluyer, Marcel Fässler, three 24 Hours winners and countless others.

You can't have the automobile, without…insurance! The MMA headquarters (former Mutuelles du Mans) is situated in Le Mans. The Mondial Assistance call center has also made the culturally rich city its home. Perhaps it will help one of the numerous visitors at the 24 Hours of Le Mans who total each year around 250,000 spectators.

The endurance classic is a boon to the local economy, estimated at 82 million Euros in direct economic impact at the county level. Spectators from the world over will arrive in La Sarthe to spend a festive week. The municipality has gotten it right: the city of Le Mans is sistered with Suzuka in Japan, a temple dedicated to motorsports competition.

Cécile Bonardel / ACO - Translation by Nikki Ehrhardt / ACO

PHOTO: LE MANS (SARTHE, FRANCE), CIRCUIT DES 24 HEURES, 24 HOURS OF LE MANS, WEDNESDAY JUNE 19TH 2013, FREE PRACTICE. OAK Racing is based at Le Mans, almost next door from the race-track.