Jacques Dubois Square

The Jacques-Dubois square, in Le Mans

The Jacques-Dubois square is an integral part of the Plantagenet City, the historic heart of Le Mans, and bears the name of a local historian defender of heritage. The Le Mans audio-guided tour stops here to evoke this exceptional district of more than twenty hectares, an open-air history book with cobbled alleys and timber-framed houses, a cinema set and the scene of the Night of the Chimeras.

The heart of the Plantagenet City

Here you are in the Jacques-Dubois square, that is an integral part of the Plantagenet City, the historic heart of Le Mans, a district that has crossed the centuries without losing its soul. It bears the name of Jacques Dubois, a passionate local historian who fought to preserve and enhance the heritage of his city. Beyond the stones, this district is a true open-air history book. The Plantagenet City is more than twenty hectares of cobbled alleys, timber-framed houses, secret courtyards and private mansions, girded by the famous Gallo-Roman wall. But it is also a place of life: numerous artists, craftsmen and inhabitants perpetuate there a unique atmosphere, between past and present. Its exceptional setting charmed the cinema, and several films were shot there, like Cyrano de Bergerac or The Man in the Iron Mask, that took advantage of the authenticity of the district. And each summer, during the Night of the Chimeras, the walls of the old town are illuminated with spectacular light projections and fairytale scenographies, that bring back to life the history of Le Mans at nightfall. From the square, you enjoy a fine view over the cathedral and the old roofs, in a peaceful and verdant atmosphere. A verdant square and a gateway to the ancient city, the Jacques-Dubois square is a fine stop of the discovery of Le Mans.

What to see

Here you discover a verdant square in the heart of the Plantagenet City, named after the historian Jacques Dubois, defender of heritage; this district of more than twenty hectares, an open-air history book with cobbled alleys and timber-framed houses, was the set of films like Cyrano de Bergerac and lights up each summer during the Night of the Chimeras. The Jacques-Dubois square is a gateway to old Le Mans. It is a fine stop, to be explored on foot.

Practical information

The Jacques-Dubois square lies in the heart of the Plantagenet City, in old Le Mans, reachable on foot. It is a public square freely accessible, offering a fine view over the cathedral and the old roofs. You discover it during a walk in the old town; the Night of the Chimeras is held there in the summer season.

What is the Plantagenet City of Le Mans?

It is the historic heart of Le Mans, more than twenty hectares of cobbled alleys, timber-framed houses, courtyards and private mansions, girded by the Gallo-Roman wall; an open-air history book inhabited by artists and craftsmen, it served as the set of films like Cyrano de Bergerac and lights up each summer during the Night of the Chimeras. The Jacques-Dubois square is part of it.

Where is the Jacques-Dubois square in Le Mans?

In the heart of the Plantagenet City, in old Le Mans, in France.