Le Mans

Being my birthday around now, and not needing any huge celebration at my age, I decided that it would be nice just to spend a day out, no particular purpose in mind, enjoying myself. So I took off with the wife to Le Mans, which is about 40 minutes away.

While we were there, we dropped in on the race track to leave some brochures. The promotion of accommodation around the Le Mans 24 hours and other events is very parochial. First they fill up places near the track, and then they look to other places in Le Mans. Finally they offer places in Sarthe. We are just "over the border" in Mayenne, so we're not on their radar, even though people regularly stay in this area. Hopefully physically dropping some brochures off at the museum and the Automobile Club de l'Ouest will help.

Then on to Le Mans town centre, where we browsed the market, I bought some CDs in the Harmonia Mundi shop (what a dream job, running that shop and listening to music all day!)




Radish in the market















The square. The building on the right is being entirely refurbished in the old style.










Then on to the Auberge des 7 Plats (so-called because you have 7 choices for starter, main course and dessert) where we had a wonderful, slow lunch, not without its alcoholic content either.




The red sign hanging from the Auberge des 7 plats, in its quiet Old Town back-road.











To round off the visit, a quick call in the specialist graphic novel shop (BD in French) and the sheet music shop, and the instrument repair shop to pick up info on all the local upcoming concerts. A nice day out.