Place Saint-Michel

The paved square is surrounded on all sides by buildings and is situated directly to the cathedral and its south-western portal, which is protected by a porch. It is also called the Royal Porch, was built in the middle of the 12th century following its model in Chartres and is today, as already in the past, the main entrance to the cathedral. The northeast extentension of the Grande Rue leads directly into this entrance, where in former times the great pricessions started.Already in Roman times, the square was the centre of the city with the civic forum. It remained the central place of Le Mans until the Middle Ages. When and why it was named after St. Michael, does nobody know today.It is a calm and shady place, a nice location for a rest.