Tourist information:
Angers, Loire Valley Gate, a city classified as World Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO is an active city, which has protected its heritage while being anchored in the twenty-first century. Also the historic capital of Anjou, Angers has many remarkable advantages, such as rivers and green spaces. Both medieval and modern city, everything is there to satisfy lovers of outdoor activities, culture and old stones.
History :
Angers is a historic city. Its land has been occupied since 4500 BC thanks to its strategic location, between the two shores of the Maine river and close to the Loire river. Long desired by the French and English, Angers, however, remained the property of the Earls of Anjou who managed to stay masters of the place with subtle alliances and interesting marriages. They even extended their power to Palestine.
In the thirteenth century, the King of France, Philip II seized the county of Anjou and installed the Capetian line at the head of it for many years. The city was then fortified and universities of medicine and theology were built. Literature and arts were also encouraged. The city fast became an economic crossroads where many fairs were held regularly, bringing wealth to Angers.
With this prosperity, many remarkable buildings, which can still be seen today, were built in Angers. The castle of Angers of course, but also the St. Maurice Cathedral, the Logis Barrault, or the tower of St. Aubin tower.
Museums :
Culture is important in Angers. You can visit the Lurçat museum which houses the Chant du Monde, the largest collection of contemporary tapestry made by Lurçat. This museum is a contemporary reflection of the Apocalypse Tapestry, which is the largest collection of tapestry from the Middle Ages and which is located in the castle of Angers.
The Fine Arts Museum of Angers is worth visiting. It is in the Logis Barrault which dates from the fifteenth century. It houses a large collection of paintings and sculptures dating from the fourteenth century to today. The museum is famous for its collection of eighteenth century works by Fragonard, Watteau, Van Loo, Chardin and Jean-Baptiste Greuze
.
Outdoor :
For an outdoor tourism, Angers is a city with many resources. It has many parks and gardens as well as areas for outdoor recreation such as Lake Maine.
Angers is a complete city which can be discovered according to whims and moods.
