Here are a few photos of sights around Le Mans, France. Le Mans is located about an hour Southwest of Paris by TGV and about an hour north of Tours. It's just outside of the Loire Valley but many of the sights of the Loire are easily accessible from Le Mans. It is also only about an hour train ride from Rennes, one of the livliest cities in Brittany. The city has a population of about 140,000, or so I have read, but it does not feel too large. It has a beautiful old town complete with medieval cobblestone streets and old city walls. It's not that well known as it's not packed with things to see like nearby Tours or Angers, but I still find it to be a very pretty town with lots to do. There are many festivals and events throughout the year (a travelling carnival, a book festival, several music festivals - all of these things have happened just this fall!) and its proximity to Paris, Rennes, Nantes, and other tourist points makes it a great place to live. You can visit all the tourist sights but escape the tourists.