Peugeot first entered the "24 Heures du Mans" race in 1926, and the 174 S of Boillot and Rigal was in second position on the 82nd lap when it was eliminated (in accordance with the rules of the event) because of a broken windscreen pillar.
Peugeot took part once again in 1937 with the Paris dealership of Emile Darl’mat entering three 302 DS's. These roadsters, the result of joint work by the carmaker and its representative, were bodyworked by Marcel Pourtout on a design by the talented amateur stylist Georges Paulin. The three cars entered all completed this event in which 65% of the crews entered pulled out!  The following year, three 402 Darl’mats once again took part in the Le Mans round. But the 1991 cc engine was replaced by a 1998 cc powerplant equipped with a hemispherical cylinder head and V-mounted overhead valves which developed 87 hp. The car driven by Charles de Cortanze and Marcel Contet ended fifth in the overall rankings and won the 2-litre category.
It was not until the mid-1960s that the Lion returned to the Le Mans track. This was in 1966 and 1967 with the CDs of Charles Deutsch fitted with the powerplant of the 204 prepared by Peugeot and Le Moteur Moderne. They drew attention because of their large fins taken from the aviation world.

In 1969, the WM entered bore the initials of two Peugeot employees, Gérard Welter and Michel Meunier. This was a coupe produced on a 204 base. This P 68 would be followed by a more sophisticated car whose engine, derived from that of the 304, was transverse-mounted at the rear. From 1976 on, the WM would take part in the event regularly with a development of the PRV V6, evolving over the years. In 1980, the P 79/80 ended in fourth position and in 1988, at 405 km/h, the P 88 was to establish the absolute speed record in the straights of Hunaudières.

With the 905, Peugeot for the first time asserted its aim of winning the event. Built on a carbon fibre chassis designed in cooperation with Dassault, the car was powered by a 3.5-litre, forty-valve V10 engine developing 650 hp. After winning several endurance events in 1991, the 905 came first at Le Mans the following year before being crowned as the World Champion Sports Car. 1993 would see the car triumph, taking the first three positions. A fine way to take leave after proving the excellence of the Peugeot technology.

Today it is the 908 HDi DPFS that represents the new Peugeot challenge at Le Mans. Its diesel engine, a 5.5-litre V12 with 100° opening, develops more than 700 hp. It is fitted with particle filters. As regards the torque, it exceeds 1200 Nm! For its first entry in 2007, after starting in pole position the car came second.

In 2009 Peugeot saw its first victory in the Le Mans 24 Hours with the 908 HDi FAP. following its previous triumphs in 1992 and 1993.