Madame Raine’s hometown – Le Mans

Mr Briscoe’s article inspired me to introduce my hometown of Le Mans. While some of you may know the city from the prestigious 24-hour race (you may have even driven past it on your way to the Atlantic ocean) you may have missed the hidden gem “The Plantagenet City” which is the oldest part of the city and resembles York. It is easily missed and yet it harbours many fine restaurants, twenty hectares of cobbled streets, perfectly preserved timber framed houses sheltered by a Roman wall and overhung by one of the largest cathedrals in France. If you look for it, you will even find a menhir, an old standing stone dating back to 4000–5000 B.C.

As a university student in Le Mans, I can’t say I ever noticed the menhir or fully appreciated how beautiful my hometown was. As an attempt to become more proficient in English, I applied to become a Foreign Language Assistant and put London as my first choice. I can’t say I was not a little disappointed when I was assigned to schools in Bolton! Little did I know, Le Mans is twinned with Bolton and the rest is history as they say…

Madame Raine

MFL Department

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