24 Hours of Le Mans: economic mountain, “ecological abyss”

For around ten days, all of Le Mans vibrates to the rhythm of racing cars rubbing the asphalt of a legendary circuit . The event may be dated – it celebrated its centenary in 2023 – but it is far from outdated. This is evidenced by the number of loyal spectators: this year, around 300,000 people are expected in the Sarthe prefecture. "Before the economic stakes, it is first and foremost in terms of notoriety that the impact of the 24 Hours of Le Mans is measured. It is a historic race, which brings the entire metropolis to life," explains the Socialist mayor of Le Mans, Stéphane Le Foll.

Yet it's hard to ignore the colossal financial impact for the city. According to François Hollande's former Minister of Agriculture, 500,000 tourist nights were booked for the event. A breath of fresh air for the hotel and restaurant sector surrounding the festival. "It's a key event for us; it accounts for a large portion of our annual revenue. Rooms are booked two or three years in advance," says Anaëlle Belval, assistant manager of H24 Hôtel, where some of the stables are housed.

On the public side, the success of the race does not weaken