<jats:p><jats:italic>Context<jats:bold>.</jats:bold></jats:italic>The Gl 486 system consists of a very nearby, relatively bright, weakly active M3.5 V star at just 8 pc with a warm transiting rocky planet of about 1.3<jats:italic>R</jats:italic><jats:sub>⊕</jats:sub>and 3.0<jats:italic>M</jats:italic><jats:sub>⊕</jats:sub>. It is ideal for both transmission and emission spectroscopy and for testing interior models of telluric planets.</jats:p><jats:p><jats:italic>Aims<jats:bold>.</jats:bold></jats:italic>To prepare for future studies, we aim to thoroughly characterise the planetary system with new accurate and precise data collected with state-of-the-art photometers from space and spectrometers and interferometers from the ground.</jats:p><jats:p><jats:italic>Methods<jats:bold>.</jats:bold></jats:italic>We collected light curves of seven new transits observed with the CHEOPS space mission and new radial velocities obtained with MAROON-X at the 8.1 m Gemini North telescope and CARMENES at the 3.5 m Calar Alto telescope, together with previously published spectroscopic and photometric data from the two spectrographs and TESS. We also performed near-infrared interferometric observations with the CHARA Array and new photometric monitoring with a suite of smaller telescopes (AstroLAB, LCOGT, OSN, TJO). This extraordinary and rich data set was the input for our comprehensive analysis.</jats:p><jats:p><jats:italic>Results<jats:bold>.</jats:bold></jats:italic>From interferometry, we measure a limb-darkened disc angular size of the star Gl 486 at<jats:italic>θ</jats:italic><jats:sub>LDD</jats:sub>= 0.390 ± 0.018 mas. Together with a corrected<jats:italic>Gaia</jats:italic>EDR3 parallax, we obtain a stellar radius<jats:italic>R</jats:italic><jats:sub><jats:italic>*</jats:italic></jats:sub>= 0.339 ± 0.015<jats:italic>R</jats:italic><jats:sub>⊕</jats:sub>. We also measure a stellar rotation period at<jats:italic>P</jats:italic><jats:sub>rot</jats:sub>= 49.9 ± 5.5 days, an upper limit to its XUV (5-920 A) flux informed by new<jats:italic>Hubble</jats:italic>/STIS data, and, for the first time, a variety of element abundances (Fe, Mg, Si, V, Sr, Zr, Rb) and C/O ratio. Moreover, we imposed restrictive constraints on the presence of additional components, either stellar or sub-stellar, in the system. With the input stellar parameters and the radial-velocity and transit data, we determine the radius and mass of the planet Gl 486 b at<jats:italic>R</jats:italic><jats:sub>p</jats:sub>= 1.343<jats:sub>−0.062</jats:sub><jats:sup>+0.063</jats:sup><jats:italic>R</jats:italic><jats:sub>⊕</jats:sub>and<jats:italic>M</jats:italic><jats:sub>p</jats:sub>= 3.00<jats:sub>−0.12</jats:sub><jats:sup>+0.13</jats:sup>M<jats:sub>⊕</jats:sub>, with relative uncertainties of the planet radius and mass of 4.7% and 4.2%, respectively. From the planet parameters and the stellar element abundances, we infer the most probable models of planet internal structure and composition, which are consistent with a relatively small metallic core with respect to the Earth, a deep silicate mantle, and a thin volatile upper layer. With all these ingredients, we outline prospects for Gl 486 b atmospheric studies, especially with forthcoming<jats:italic>James Webb</jats:italic>Space Telescope (<jats:italic>Webb</jats:italic>) observations.</jats:p>