With its ideal location less than one hour from Paris by high-speed train (TGV), the Sarthe is a destination that’s easy to reach, no matter how you travel. By train, coach, carpool or car: all roads lead to the Sarthe for a refreshing getaway, whether in the city or the countryside.
By TGV
Thanks to its connections across France and Europe, the TGV stations in Le Mans and Sablé-sur-Sarthe make the Sarthe especially accessible.Le Mans is a major TGV hub on the Paris–Nantes line, connected to several major cities:
- Paris-Montparnasse ➝ Le Mans: approx. 55 minutes
- Rennes ➝ Le Mans: approx. 1 hr 20 min
- Nantes ➝ Le Mans: approx. 1 hr 30 min
- Lille ➝ Le Mans: via Paris or Roissy-CDG, approx. 3 hr
- Lyon ➝ Le Mans: approx. 3 hr, often with one transfer
The Sablé-sur-Sarthe station is also served by TGV, particularly on the Paris ↔ Nantes ↔ Rennes line.
By Regional Train (TER)
With 27 train stations, the Sarthe is easily accessible by regional train from neighboring regions—and even from Paris. The Pays de la Loire Region and SNCF Voyageurs offer convenient travel options with Aléop by TER, making it easy to reach the Sarthe.
- Le Mans ↔ Alençon (TER Normandie)
- Le Mans ↔ Tours (via Château-du-Loir, Aubigné-Racan…)
- Le Mans ↔ Angers (via Sablé-sur-Sarthe)
- Le Mans ↔ Nogent-le-Rotrou ↔ Chartres ↔ Paris (TER Centre-Val de Loire)
By Bus and Coach
Several long-distance coach companies (FlixBus, BlaBlaCar Bus) serve the Sarthe, with routes including:
- Le Mans ↔ Paris: approximately 2.5 to 3 hours, depending on the schedule
- Le Mans ↔ Rennes / Nantes / Bordeaux
- Main stop: Université du Mans – 22 Boulevard Louis Le Prince Ringuet, 72000 Le Mans (17 minutes from the city center via tram line 1)
The Aléop network (Pays de la Loire region) offers several regular coach routes to and across the Sarthe. These lines are often convenient, affordable, and well-connected to train stations and town centers.
Some example routes:
- Le Mans ↔ La Flèche
- Le Mans ↔ Sablé-sur-Sarthe
- Le Mans ↔ Mamers
- Le Mans ↔ Château-du-Loir
Tram and Urban Transport in Le Mans
Once you arrive in Le Mans, getting around the city is easy thanks to the tram system (2 lines) and Setram buses.
- Line 1: Université ↔ Antarès – MMArena
- Line 2: Bellevue ↔ Espal – Arche de la Nature
Convenient connections with both the SNCF train station and the main bus terminal.
App and further information:
Car Sharing or Carpooling
Mouv’n Go
Mouv’n Go is a public mobility service offering electric car sharing, available daily from 3:30 a.m. to 12:30 a.m. With designated stations in 20 towns across the Sarthe, Mouv’n Go vehicles are accessible for everyday use at affordable rates.
BlaBlaCar
Carpooling with BlaBlaCar is a very popular and budget-friendly way to reach Sarthe while enjoying a friendly travel experience. Every day, dozens of rides connect Paris, Nantes, Rennes, Angers, Tours, and Caen to various towns in Sarthe, including Le Mans, La Flèche, Sablé-sur-Sarthe, Mamers, and Château-du-Loir.
By train
With links open to France and Europe, the TGV stations of Le Mans and Sablé-sur-Sarthe make Sarthe particularly accessible.
Thanks to its 17 daily TGV connections between Paris and Le Mans, Sarthe is only 54 minutes from Paris!
- Paris – Le Mans : 54 minutes
- Rennes/ Nantes – Le Mans : 1h15
- Lyon – Le Mans : 3h
- Lille – Le Mans : 2h40
- Bruxelles – Le Mans : 3h
- Londres – Le Mans : 4h
By the road
The motorway network (A11 and A81) connects Sarthe to Paris, Rennes, Angers and Nantes. With the A28, Tours, Bordeaux, Rouen, Calais and thus England and Spain are also directly accessible.
- Paris : 2h by A11
- Rennes : 1h15 by A81
- Rouen : 2h by A28
- Nantes : 1h30 by A11
- Angers : 1h by A11
- Tours : 1h by A28
- Poitiers : 2h15 by A10 and A28
- Alençon : 35 minutes by A28
Sarthe offers numerous charging stations listed on the ChargeMap service to make traveling by electric car easy and convenient. The department also features a range of tourist accommodations equipped with charging points, either free or paid depending on the location.