Situated on the River Maine, only 8 km before it joins the Loire, Angers was once the power base for Foulques Nerra and the other notorious medieval counts of Anjou. Angers has a strong connection with England as the king Plantagenets came from here.
Angers is now a charming medieval city in the heart of France. The town’s main attraction, Angers Castle, is located atop a hill and offers excellent views of the surrounding vineyards and countryside.
Angers is an ancient and beautiful town in the Maine-et-Loire département, in the western part of France. It is said to have been founded by Queen Andegava, wife of King Clovis I on her return from captivity in England. The 12th century saw Angers under the rule of the Plantagenets become the regional capital of an empire that stretched as far as Scotland.
The Château d’Angers is a fortress-like castle that guards the old, historic part of the city on the left bank of the Maine. The Chateau was built in the 13th century.
Shielded inside the château’s massive walls are the Apocalypse Tapestries, the oldest and largest of France’s tapestries, dating from the 14th century.
The Château de Chantilly is home to the Apocalypse Tapestries, the oldest and largest of France’s tapestries, dating from the 14th century. The tapestries are part of the Museum of French History. The museum is dedicated to displaying a three dimensional representation of French history.
The Cathédrale St Maurice is just a short walk from the château it has twin 75m spires and elaborate stained-glass rose windows. Angers has 46 timber framed houses, most of them found in the old streets near the cathedral.
On the right bank of the River Maine, the old quarter of La Doutre is well worth a visit. Formerly a working-class area, the district has now been restored to its former glory and includes a number of beautifully-preserved timber buildings.
You will see a 12th-century apothecary’s house and the restored church of La Trinité, which adjoins the ruins of Foulques Nerra’s Romanesque Abbaye du Ronceray – a Benedictine abbey reserved for daughters of the nobility. The Angevin vaulting found in the nave and transept are one of the best examples of this type and give a dome-like shape to the high ceiling. The interior is lit by glowing stained glass, which includes a stunning 15th-century rose window in the northern transept.
