A yellow-marked circular trail covering 17.2 kilometres and motorsport at the Virage de Mulsanne give the town two distinctive themes. More than 70 percent of the Circuit du P’tit Chien runs along varied forest paths. At the same time, historic sites, an LPO birdwatching refuge and a leisure area at the Lavoir de la Madeleine offer a range of things to focus on. Your choice therefore depends on whether you want to discover Mulsanne mainly on foot, through its history or in connection with motorsport.
Forest and walks
The Circuit du P’tit Chien is marked in yellow and is 17.2 kilometres long. More than seven tenths of the circular trail follow varied forest paths. The distance gives the walk a clear place in your day’s plans: you can treat it as an outing in its own right rather than equating it with a short stroll.
Mulsanne has 720 hectares of forest. Together with the named circular trail, this gives you both a specific walking option and a clear connection with nature. Visitors can watch birds at the LPO refuge in Mulsanne. If you would rather observe nature in a focused way, you can make the refuge a distinct part of your stay.
There is a leisure area at the Lavoir de la Madeleine where walkers can take a break or have a picnic. This complements the longer walk with another way to spend time outdoors. Whether you want to cover a route, watch birds or plan a break at the washhouse, these places offer different ways to discover Mulsanne’s natural attractions.
Local history and protected buildings
The Château des Hunaudières has been listed as a historic monument since 22 March 1966. The protected features include the façades and roofs as well as interior rooms with decorative features. This scope is also of interest to architecture enthusiasts: it covers both the exterior and the specified interior rooms.
A second washhouse on Rue de l’Église can only be seen from the path. It illustrates the historic meeting places of women in past centuries. The history of these meeting places also brings a social aspect of local history into focus.
The original church in Mulsanne was built in the Gothic style in the 13th century. According to different accounts, it was dedicated either to Notre-Dame or to Sainte Madeleine. The alternative dedication and the Gothic style are two distinct clues to the church’s early history. The Monument Canadien commemorates the crash of an Allied aircraft on 23 May 1944, providing a clearly dated link to the history of the Second World War.
Motorsport at the Virage de Mulsanne
Visitors can watch overtaking manoeuvres and nighttime braking at the Virage de Mulsanne; the viewing opportunities available depend on the race event. Another format is the Association Virage de Mulsanne’s gathering of historic and prestige vehicles. It takes place at the Virage on the Friday before the 24 Heures du Mans. Check the date for the current year with the organiser.
The two motorsport themes have different focuses: the race event is about overtaking manoeuvres and braking, while the gathering features historic and prestige vehicles. If motorsport is a deciding factor in planning your trip, arrange your travel dates around the respective event dates.
Getting here and finding hotels
Bus route 24 connects Antarès/MMArena with Mulsanne and vice versa. Check the latest route and timetable information before travelling.
The circular trail offers a clearly specified distance; by contrast, a motorsport-related visit depends on the event in question. If you would like to combine both, compare your travel dates in advance with the dates of the 24 Heures du Mans and the vehicle gathering.
Discover more destinations: Pezé-le-Robert, Vion, La Fontaine-Saint-Martin, Challes, La Suze-Sur-Sarthe, Poncé-Sur-Le-Loir, Ségrie, La Chartre-Sur-Le-Loir
For the broader travel overview: Sarthe.
