In the beginning, was a hill and two rivers…

At the confluence of the rivers Sarthe and Huisne, the original rocky spur had a fortified town right from the time of the Gauls. Le Mans (Ouidinom or Suindinom, "the fortified white hill") was inhabited at the time by Celts: the Aulerques Cenomans.

This place has been sacred since prehistoric times, as can be seen by the menhir raised there between 4000 and 5000 B.C. It is the oldest relic of our history today and a pagan symbol, saved from destruction by Julian, who came to convert Le Mans to Christianity in the 4th century. According to legend, he built a cross on top of it, which has since disappeared. The menhir of Le Mans was right next to the Saint Julian cathedral when it was built. From here, it has watched over the destiny of our city, its inhabitants and its visitors for 7000 years.