Saint Nicholas Square

The Place Saint-Nicolas, in Le Mans

The Place Saint-Nicolas is a peaceful and charming place of the historic district of Le Mans, that owes its name to a former church now disappeared. The Le Mans audio-guided tour stops here to evoke this medieval square lined with half-timbered houses and stone façades, adorned with a fountain, where it is pleasant to stroll away from the animation of old Le Mans.

The medieval square and its fountain

Welcome to the Place Saint-Nicolas, a peaceful and charming place located in the historic district of Le Mans. It owes its name to the former St. Nicholas's Church that was formerly here, before being destroyed in the nineteenth century. Although it is no longer visible, its memory remains through the name of the place and the so particular atmosphere of this medieval district. The square is lined with typical half-timbered houses, as well as stone façades, testifying to the architecture of yesteryear and the diversity of the materials used over the centuries. By strolling, you will discover medieval elements, ogival windows and sloping roofs, that add an undeniable charm to the whole. In the centre, a fountain brings a touch of freshness; it formerly played an essential role in supplying water to the inhabitants, at a time when running water did not exist. It is an ideal place to stroll quietly and enjoy the beauty of old Le Mans, far from the animation of the great arteries. Its cobbled alleys and its old buildings invite to reverie and to travel through time, in an intimate and preserved atmosphere. With its flowery houses and its picturesque corners, the Place Saint-Nicolas is one of those discreet places that make all the charm of the Plantagenet City. A peaceful square and a corner of charm of old Le Mans, the Place Saint-Nicolas is a fine stop of the discovery of the city.

What to see

Here you discover a peaceful square of the historic district, that owes its name to a former St. Nicholas's Church destroyed in the nineteenth century; lined with half-timbered houses and stone façades with ogival windows, adorned with a fountain that formerly supplied the inhabitants, it invites to strolling away from the animation. The Place Saint-Nicolas is a corner of charm of old Le Mans. It is a fine stop, to be explored on foot.

Practical information

The Place Saint-Nicolas lies in the historic district of Le Mans, reachable on foot. It is a public square freely accessible, lined with half-timbered houses and adorned with a fountain, peaceful and away from the animation. You discover it during a stroll in old Le Mans.

Where does the name of the Place Saint-Nicolas in Le Mans come from?

From the former St. Nicholas's Church that was formerly here, before being destroyed in the nineteenth century; although disappeared, its memory remains through the name of the place and the medieval atmosphere of this peaceful square, lined with half-timbered houses and stone façades, and adorned with a fountain that formerly supplied the inhabitants with water.

Where is the Place Saint-Nicolas in Le Mans?

In the historic district of old Le Mans, in France.