Sarthe

Sarthe department is located in western France, in the Pays de la Loire region, and its capital is Le Mans, the city best known to motorsport fans for the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans race. The department is agricultural and rural, and its economy combines farming, the automotive industry, and motorsport tourism. Its landscape includes plains, forests and the valley of the Sarthe River. The cost of living in the department is lower than in Paris, and it is less than an hour from the capital by high-speed train.

Le Mans, La Flèche, Sablé-sur-Sarthe

• Le Mans Université - The region's main university, offering science, engineering, law, economics and arts programs.
• IUT de Laval/Le Mans (sites Le Mans) - An IUT (university institute of technology) with professional programs.

Le Mans is a medium-sized student and industrial city; the central and student neighborhoods are generally acceptable, but the area around the station and some cheaper neighborhoods are busier and require a bit more caution. The smaller towns of the department generally have a calmer, more rural atmosphere.

Le Mans has an important TGV station on the Paris-Nantes line. The city has an active tram and bus network (SETRAM), and regional buses operate at the department level.