Top to bottom, left to right:Château d'Angers,Maison d'Adam;Angers tram, Verdun Bridge at night; view of the riverMaine, Verdun Bridge and downtown area from Angers Castle
Angers proper covers 42.70 square kilometres (16.49 sq mi)[6] and has a population of 154,508 inhabitants, while around 432,900 live in its metropolitan area (aire d'attraction). TheAngers Loire Métropole is made up of 29 communes covering 667 square kilometres (258 sq mi) with 299,500 inhabitants (2018).[1] Not including the broader metropolitan area, Angers is the third most populouscommune in northwestern France afterNantes andRennes and the 18th most populous commune in France.[7]
For centuries, Angers was an important stronghold in northwestern France. It was the cradle of thePlantagenet dynasty and became one of the intellectual centers of Europe during the reign ofRené of Anjou. Angers developed at the confluence of three rivers, theMayenne, theSarthe, and theLoir, all coming from the north and flowing south to theLoire. Their confluence, just north of Angers, creates theMaine, a short but wide river that flows into the Loire several kilometres south.
Today, Angers stands out for its specialization in theplant sector: Végépolys is Europe's leadinghorticultural competitiveness cluster, and the city is also home to the headquarters of theCommunity Plant Variety Office. In addition, the Angers metropolitan area is a major economic centre in western France, particularly active in industry and tourism.[8] Angers enjoys a rich cultural life, made possible by its universities and museums. The old medieval center is still dominated by the massivechâteau of thePlantagenêts, home of theApocalypse Tapestry, the biggest medieval tapestry ensemble in the world. Angers is also both at the edge of theVal de Loire, aWorld Heritage Site, and the Loire-Anjou-Touraineregional natural park.
The city is first mentioned byPtolemy around AD 150 in hisGeography. It was then known asJuliomagus (Ancient Greek:Ἰουλιόμαγος,Iouliómagos),[9][10] a name by which it also appears in theTabula Peutingeriana. The name is a compound of the Latin nameJulius (probably in reference toJulius Caesar) and theCelticmagos, "market". Similar town dedications were common inRoman Gaul, and toponyms often kept a Gallic element.[11]
When the location needed to be distinguished from other Juliomagi, it was known asJuliomagus Andecavorum ("Juliomagus of theAndecavi"), in reference to the principal Gallic tribe in and around the city.[12]
The LatinAndecavum also gaveAnjou its name. This double formation is quite common in France and is also seen inPoitiers andPoitou, andBourges andBerry.
Angers was traditionally known as the "Black City" (la Ville Noire) because many roofs were built ofslate, due to the quarry in neighbouringTrélazé. These have become less common since the development of the city in the 19th century.[15]The city has also been known as:
"TheAthens of the West" (Athènes de l'Ouest), a name borne since the 19th century from the development of its university[16]
"The City of Flowers" (Ville des fleurs), a name from theSecond Empire[17]
"Green City" (Ville verte), in reference to its numerous parks and important horticultural industry
"Angers the White" (Angers la Blanche), from its moderntufa façades and with ironic reference to its former name[18]
Coat of arms of AngersCoat of arms under Napoleon's rule
The coat of arms of Angers bears the French royalfleur de lys of thedukes of Anjou (the first duke was the son of the king of France,Jean II); the key evokes the stronghold position of the city close to theBreton border. Anacrostic from the Middle Ages calls itAntique clef de France, which means "Ancient key to France":
Antique clef de France, (antique key to France)
Neteté de souffrance, (sharpness of displeasure)
Garant contre ennemis, (protection against enemies)
Etappe d'assurance, (step of assurance)
Recours de secourance, (help of relief)
Securité d'amis. (security for friends)
UnderNapoleon I's rule, Angers was one of the "Bonnes villes" and was therefore allowed to ask for a new coat of arms. The bees, symbol of theFirst French Empire, then replaced the royal fleurs de lys.
In 1949, Angers received the1939–1945 War Cross and since then, the decoration is sometimes placed between the two fleurs de lys.[19]
Angers also had several mottos through its history:[20]
Theconfluence of the Maine and the Loire some 4 miles (6.4 km) south west of Angers[15]
Angers is located at the geographical center of theMaine-et-Loire department, on the road (A11 autoroute,L'Océane) which connectsParis to theAtlantic Ocean. The city is situated just south of the confluence of theLoir,Mayenne andSarthe, which form together the riverMaine. The Maine crosses Angers and heads south towards theLoire. The confluence of the three rivers and the proximity of the Loire make up a natural crossroads which favoured the foundation of the antiqueJuliomagus.[citation needed]
Angers is located 91 km (57 mi) fromNantes, 124 km (77 mi) fromRennes, 132 km (82 mi) fromPoitiers and 297 km (185 mi) fromParis. It is also 118 km (73 mi) far fromPornic, the closest sea resort, situated on theAtlantic Ocean.
Angers is a hilly town, particularly marked by a rocky promontory dominating the lower valley ofAnjou. This was the site of the ancient city and still houses the town'scastle,cathedral, and medieval quarters.[citation needed]
At the north and south, where the river Maine arrives in and leaves Angers, the landscape is formed by islands, ponds and floodplains which are a haven for birds and a typical flora of theVal de Loire. Theétang Saint-Nicolas andLac de Maine, both artificial, are among the biggest green areas of the city.[citation needed]
Angers around 1850, with the river Maine at the middle, thecastle and the medieval town on the right bank and La Doutre and its river port on the left bank
The oldest streets and buildings in Angers are located on the promontory where theAngers castle stands. The urban structure there dates back from the 13th, 14th and 15th centuries.[24]
A military presence there was attested from the 3rd century[25] and some remains of an antique city wall are still visible on the castle grounds.[26] This wall was built to protect the city from the Germanic invasions of AD 275 and 276.
During the Middle Ages, the castle was the core of the city's defence system, composed of tall city walls and river chains which prevented enemy ships from going up the Maine. The walls were last reconstructed between 1230 and 1240, by order ofKing Louis IX.[27] Today, portions of the wall are still visible in Rue Toussaint and on Boulevard Carnot, as are some towers, like theTour Villebon and theTour des Anglais.[citation needed]
Before the firstcadastre (1810), the city had not extended much beyond its medieval limits: on and around the castle promontory, with some dwellings on the other bank of the Maine in a neighbourhood calledLa Doutre. That part of the city developed quickly during the industrial revolution and became a big river port. Industry was encouraged by firms like Bessonneau (textile factories) andCointreau (distillery).[citation needed]
After 1850, many suburbs appeared around the train stations and the slate quarries to the south inTrélazé. Despite the port in La Doutre, demographic growth and urban extension were more significant on the eastern bank of the Maine, where the former Juliomagus had been founded.[citation needed]
The medieval city center was redeveloped and expanded from 1791. ThePlace du Ralliement, the main square, was then built in place of three churches destroyed during theFrench Revolution and, later, ring boulevards planted with trees replaced the city walls.[citation needed]
After 1945 and theSecond World War, several largecouncil estates made of tower blocks were built around the city center, the first of them being Belle-Beille in 1953. Industrial activity changed drastically: port activity declined while new factories, such asTechnicolor SA in 1957, were built. During the 1970s, the collective approach to urban development gave way to more individual houses being built for themiddle class.[citation needed]
As the metropolitan area continued to grow, commuting became more common. New shopping areas were constructed close to the villages which had been subsumed into the city. Because of the floodplains that surround the city north and south, Angers can only grow significantly on an east–west axis.[citation needed]
TheTour des Anglais, a remaining part of the medieval city walls
Traditional slated roof
Half-timbered houses in rue de l'Oisellerie
View of La Doutre; the industrial port has become a marina
Being both at the edge of theVal de Loire World Heritage site and on the largest river confluence in France,[28] Angers has a high natural potential, notably highlighted by the Saint-Aubin island, situated north of the center and covering a tenth of the city total surface. Protected, the island is formed of swamps and natural meadows.
The oldest green areas date back from theRenaissance, when the moats of the castle were transformed into pleasure and kitchen gardens. Similar gardens were built by the aristocracy around theirhôtels particuliers andphysic garden were planted in hospices cloisters. The Jardin des plantes, the firstbotanical garden, dates back from the beginning of the 18th century. During the 19th century, others were built, for example the Faculty of Pharmacy garden and the Roseraie. The first recreational parks, for their part, were built during theSecond French Empire. Theétang Saint-Nicolas, made by a sluice on a small river, the Brionneau, was protected as early as 1936.
The Jardin du Mail (Mall Garden), an esplanade situated outside the ring boulevards, was built between 1820 and 1880 on the former Champs de Mars (Fields of Mars, a place where the garrisons used to train and parade). Another esplanade, the MailFrançois Mitterrand, was built in 1999 together with a garden inside the new Saint-Serge business district. During the 1960s the old gravel pits around the Maine were filled with water to form the Lac de Maine, which now hosts a marina. In 2010, a large amusement park,Terra Botanica, was inaugurated close to Saint-Aubin island.
During the 5th century BC, theAndecavi, a Celtic people, settled north of theLoire. By the end of theIron Age, Angers was a relatively densely populatedhillfort. While the settlement's Roman name—Juliomagus—may be older, it is only attested from the 3rd century. The Roman town consisted of many villas and baths and had an amphitheater as well as aMithraeum, a temple dedicated toMithra.
Successive Germanic invasions in AD 275 and 276 forced the inhabitants to move to the highest point of their city and to build a wall around a small area of around 9 hectares (22 acres).
Angers received its firstbishop in 372 during the election ofMartin of Tours. The first abbey, Saint-Aubin, was built during the 7th century to house the sarcophagus ofSaint Albinius. Saint-Serge Abbey was founded by the Merovingian kingsClovis II andTheuderic III a century later. In 2008, ten Frankish sarcophagi from that period were discovered where Saint-Morille church once stood during thetramway construction.[30]
From the 850s, Angers suffered from its situation on the border withBrittany andNormandy. In September 851,Charles the Bald andErispoe, a Breton chief, met in the town to sign theTreaty of Angers, which secured Breton independence and fixed the borders ofBrittany. However, the situation remained dangerous for Angers, and Charles the Bald created in 853 a wide buffer zone around Brittany comprising parts ofAnjou,Touraine,Maine andSées, which was ruled byRobert the Strong, a great-grandfather ofHugh Capet.
In 870, theViking chiefHastein seized Angers where he settled until a successful siege temporarily displaced him. He again took control of the town in 873,[31] before the Carolingian Emperor ousted him.
Fulk I of Anjou, aCarolingian descendant, was the first viscount ofAngers (before 898 until 929) and ofTours (898–909), and count ofNantes (909–919). Around 929, he took the title of count (earl) of Angers and founded the first Anjou dynasty, theHouse of Ingelger (French: Ingelgériens). Angers subsequently formed the capital of theprovince ofAnjou.[15]
During the 12th century, after internal divisions inBrittany, the county of Nantes was annexed byAnjou.Henry II Plantagenêt kept it for more than 30 years. The grandson ofHenry I of England, he also succeeded to the English crown and ruled the vastAngevin Empire, which stretched from thePyrenees toIreland.[32] Thecastle of Angers was then the seat of the Court and the dynasty. The Empire disappeared in 1204–1205 when the King of France,Philip II, seizedNormandy and Anjou. Henceforth, there were no more counts ofAnjou, as the French king had made Anjou a dukedom.
Now a part of theKingdom of France, Angers became the "Key to the Kingdom" (Clé du Royaume) facing still independentBrittany. In 1228, duringLouis IX's minority,Blanche of Castile decided to fortify the city and to rebuild the castle. Later, during the 1350s and 1360s, the schools of Law, Medicine and Theology, renowned inEurope, were organized into a university. In 1373,Louis I of Naples and Anjou ordered the six tapestries illustrating theApocalypse of St John known today as theApocalypse Tapestry.
KingRené of Anjou contributed to the economic revival in a city that had been diminished by theBlack Death (1347–1350) and theHundred Years War (1337–1453). A man of great culture and generosity, René transformed Angers into a cultural and political center and held court there. He transformed the castle moat into amenagerie and built several gardens. He also founded in Angers a newOrdre du Croissant which was supposed to compete with theOrder of the Golden Fleece, created several years earlier.
In 1474,Louis XI, in his attempt to conquer Anjou, came to Angers with his army, asking for the keys of the city.[33] René, then 65 years old, did not want to lead a war against his nephew and surrendered his domains without a fight. Thus, Anjou ceased to be anappanage and fell into the Royal domain. After his death, René was buried in 1480 inSaint-Maurice cathedral.
In 1551, Angers became the seat of abailiwick and thepresidial court of a jurisdiction, a position the city kept until 1790. At the same time, with the growth ofProtestantism in France, a Catholic was placed at the head of the city and its castle while thebourgeoisie formed a Catholic militia to protect Angers from theHuguenots. The bishop,Gabriel Bouvery, organized on his side an "Angevin League".
When the news of theSt. Bartholomew's Day massacre reached Angers, another massacre took place in the city. The bodies of slain Protestants were thrown into theMayenne. It was thealdermen who stopped the slaughter.[34]
In 1598, theEdict of Nantes was prepared byHenri IV in Angers. From 6 March until 2 April, Angers was thede facto capital of France and the King tried all means to satisfy the Catholics of the city, for example by laying the cornerstone of the new Capucine convent.
At the premature death of Louis XIII in 1643, his sonLouis XIV was only an infant. France was troubled at this time by several famines and epidemics, and by political instability. In 1649, the people of Angers revolted against rising taxes, the start of theFronde inAnjou. TheFronde was a nationwide military conflict opposing some aristocrats wanting more autonomy and the Royal forces loyal toAnne of Austria as Queen Mother and Regent, and her prime minister,Cardinal Mazarin. Royalist repression in Angers was narrowly averted by BishopHenri Arnauld, who interceded with the Queen Mother. Arnauld, who would remain Bishop of Angers until 1692, was to leave a deep mark on the religious life of the city during the second half of the 17th century.
In 1652,Henri Chabot, Duke ofRohan and governor ofAnjou, decided to backLouis of Condé, leader of theFronde. Angers again became rebellious and Louis XIV sent his army to seize it. The Duke of Rohan immediately surrendered and thus again prevented the sack of the city.
The first months of theFrench Revolution were relatively quiet in Angers. In 1789, the city lost its ancient administrative positions, replaced in 1790 by thedepartment ofMayenne-et-Loire, soon renamed "Maine-et-Loire".Anjou, as a political entity, disappeared, although the new department included most of its territory.
TheWar of Vendée, a Royalist rebellion andcounterrevolution led inVendée, a department located at the southwest ofMaine-et-Loire, reached theLoire in March 1793. The Royalist army soon crossed the river and progressed as far asGranville, inNormandy, in November. Pushed back, the Vendéens went back south and, to cross the Loire again, had to attack Angers.
The city was defended by 4,000 Republican soldiers, whereas the Royalists were at least 20,000, but weakened by successive fights and deceases. TheSiege of Angers occurred on 3 and 4 December 1793. The Royalists' bad tactics, as well as the strength of Angers city wall and castle, caused their loss. They consequently went back north for a while, aroundLe Mans, before crossing theLoire atAncenis on 16 December.
In 1794, fierce repression was conducted in the whole region against the Royalists. In Angers, 290 prisoners were shot and 1020 died of illness in jail.[35] The city also welcomed many refugees, mostly Republicans living in Royalist rural areas. Between 19 and 31 May 1793, between 650 and 1000 Republican families sought asylum in Angers.[36]
TheHôtel de VilleThePont de Segré, a truss railroad bridge built on the Maine during the second half of the 19th century
During the 19th century, the city was deeply influenced by the urban transformations inParis. The city traditionally had a somewhat sombre appearance from the quantity of localslate used in construction but many quarters were gradually destroyed, redeveloped, or rebuilt on the Parisian model.[15] The city wall, which formed a square around the old city core, was demolished around 1850 and replaced by wide boulevards. New districts of the city were also opened up on the opposite bank of the river.[15]
TheHôtel de Ville (City Hall) was officially opened as a municipal building on 23 September 1823.[37]
In 1849, the Angers-Saumur railway was built; it was extended toNantes two years later. When completed, the line connectedParis to theAtlantic coast.
In 1850, acatastrophic failure of theAngers Bridge suspension bridge caused the deaths of over 200 soldiers. The disaster inhibited the construction ofsuspension bridges in France for two decades. The accident was mainly caused by soldiers' lilting march which createdresonance in the bridge structure.[38]
In 1875, a "free faculty" was created. It was soon assimilated to the medieval Angevin University (Universitas Andegavensis), which had been dissolved during theFrench Revolution. The new faculty was canonically erected as the Catholic University of Angers (Université catholique d'Angers) byPope Pius IX in 1879. However, in 1890, a law prohibited private institutions of higher education from calling themselves "universities". The institution was then renamed the "Free Faculty of Angers" (Faculté libre d'Angers), although it kept its original name on an informal basis. At the beginning of the 20th century, two higher education establishments, specializing in agriculture and commercial sciences, were opened.
During the first half of the 20th century, severalArt Nouveau andArt Deco buildings were constructed, such as theNouvelles Galeries, theHotel des Postes,Hotel Continental, theAlcazar and theMaison bleue.
In September 1939, whenPoland was invaded by Germany, thePolish government-in-exile settled in Angers. It left the city on 12 June 1940, after the invasion of France by theWehrmacht. Angers fell to theNazis during the same month. The Germans made it the seat of a regional Kommandantur. In 1941, a firstResistance movement, calledHonneur et Patrie, was created in Angers. 60 Resistants were shot at the Belle-Beille range in 1942 and a German bunker factory employed 6000 people in 1943.[39] In July 1942, 853 Jews were arrested and sent toAuschwitz.[40]
On the night of 28 May 1944, the first Allied bombing occurred over the Saint-Laud quarter. 243 people died and many others were wounded. Successive attacks on 29 and 30 May destroyed the train station and its surroundings[40] which were reconstructed in the 1950s.
After liberatingAvranches andRennes, GeneralGeorge Patton and his 5th infantry division arrived inAnjou on 5 August. To seize Angers, they decided to enter the city by its eastern side to surprise the Nazis. On 9 August, they crossed the Maine and started the fight. Helped by the localFrench Forces of the Interior, they progressively moved forward to the city center. The fight was nevertheless difficult and Angers was liberated the day after, at around 5 p.m.[41]
After the end of the war, the city experienced quick development and demographic growth. In 1971, a decision was made to reestablish a public university, and the Université catholique d'Angers was split between theUniversité catholique de l'Ouest (private) and theUniversité d'Angers (public). Angers continues to have two different universities.
Until the 1980s, Angers experienced several massive urban development plans, such as the construction of the Lac de Maine, and several vast council estates and shopping malls, as well as the construction of a highway which crossed the city through its center, a project that forced the destruction of many old buildings and destroyed the original quays on the Maine. Later, other urban plans were drawn up, with a new emphasis on nature and heritage protection, as well as on social mixing. During the 1990s, the redevelopment of the Saint-Serge quarter, located just north of the historical center, produced a new business center, gardens and university buildings.
Angers received its communal charter fromLouis XI in February 1475, but free elections for themayor andaldermen were not guaranteed before 1484, following a decision byCharles VIII. Since then, 75 successive mayors have governed Angers.
Until theSecond World War, Angers was mainly governed bycentrist and republican mayors. From 1977 until 2014, all the successive mayors were members of theSocialist Party, whereas theMaine-et-Loire department has always been governed by moderateright-wing parties. The current mayor (as at May 2023) is Jean-Marc Verchère.[42]
Angers is divided into eightcantons; most of them include parts of Angers plus some surrounding communes. These cantons are not administrative entities and only serve to elect the members of the department council. TheINSEE, the French institute for statistics, divides the commune of Angers into twelve sectors. Depending on their social and economic issues, some of them can have priority for financial assistance and urban regeneration. In Angers, five are considered as priority sectors, three as sensitive urban areas, and one as an urban free zone.
Being thechef-lieu ofMaine-et-Loire, Angers is the seat of aprefecture. It is also the seat of aCourt of Appeal and of several regional or local institutes, concerning for example, customs, education or science. Angers also has several other courts of justice as well as aprison.
In 2017, Angers had 152,960 inhabitants, 1.2% more than ten years before.[43] It is the 18th most populatedcommune in France. In 2018, the urban area (unité urbaine), which encompasses Angers plus eleven surroundingcommunes (243.3 square kilometers (93.9 square miles) in total), had 242,613 inhabitants.[1] Themetropolitan area (aire d'attraction) included in 2018 81 communes, 432,939 inhabitants and 2,419 square kilometres (934 square miles).[1] TheAngers Loire Métropole, an economic and political association of communes, includes 29 communes and around 313,000 inhabitants.[44]
The population of Angers is relatively young, with 46% of the population being younger than 30 and 22% of residents over 60 years old.[43] This is partially explained by the presence of two universities, 21.0% of the population between 15 and 64 being pupils and students in 2017.[45]
A bottle ofCointreau, a liqueur produced in Saint-Barthélemy-d'Anjou, near Angers, since 1849
The early prosperity of the town was largely due to the nearbyquarries ofslate, whose abundant use for the roofs of Angers led to its sobriquet as the "Black City". In the mid-19th century, the principal manufactures were goods forsailing ships (sailcloth andrope),linen andhose,sugar,leather,wax, andoil, as well as agricultural products (mainlywheat,wine, andfruit).[15] By the time of theFirst World War,Cointreau had developed the distillation ofliqueurs from the area's fruit to an industrial level. The work for sailing ships was still carried on butsteamships had greatly reduced demand. Instead, local companies producedcables,wires, andthread and increased production offootwear,umbrellas, andparasols. The area's vineyards focused onsparkling wine and fruit was increasinglypreserved for sale elsewhere. The area had also developed a small-scaletextile industry and begun producing machines, as well as commercial-scale production ofhemp andflowers.[47]
Present-day Angers provides 45.7% of theMaine-et-Loire job positions. It is the 22nd-largest national job provider and the 3rd-largest one in northwestern France afterNantes andRennes. Its unemployment rate (13.5% in 2017) is above the national rate. 20.7% of the people working in Angers have graduate or post-graduate qualifications.[45]
Cointreau continues to produce its orange triple-sec liqueur in nearbySaint-Barthélemy-d'Anjou, but many of the other industries have since vanished. Modern Angers producesScaniatrucks atÉcouflant and computers byBull,Packard Bell, andNEC. It also supports research labs investigating horticulture and biotechnology. Thanks to its several higher education schools, laboratories, and various offices, Angers is the largest horticultural center inEurope[48] and, as the home of theCommunity Plant Variety Office, Angers is the hub of theplant breeders' rights system in theEuropean Community. For example, Angers is the leading hydrangeas producer in Europe.[49] The local economy also relies on the presence of many administrative, educational, and health institutions. There are also many small firms, chiefly focused on the agricultural tradition ofMaine-et-Loire. Angers also serves as a regional financial center, with many banks and insurance companies (includingAfone,CNP Assurances,Crédit Agricole, Fiducial, andGroupama) maintaining their regional offices there.
Angers is an important convention center, with a present convention trade of around €8,000,000. The new convention center slated for 2016 has been cancelled in 2013.[50] The renovation of the previous convention center and the addition of a 400 conference room at the back by the garden should be finished in 2018.[51] TheParc des Expositions, where fairs are currently held, welcomes 600,000 visitors and more than 300 events each year. With its 27,000 m2 (290,626 sq ft), it is the biggest structure of its type in northwestern France.[52]
TheHôtel-Dieu, founded in the 12th century, is one of the oldest hospitals in France. First located in theHospice Saint-Jean, it moved into new buildings in 1870; it becameCentre Hospitalier Universitaire (CHU)[53] in 1966. It has 1,500 beds and around 5,500 people work there.[54] Two private hospitals and a regional center for re-education also exist.
A center of learning, Angers boasts two renowned universities and several specialized institutions, altogether enrolling more than 26,000 students.[55] TheCatholic University of the West (Université Catholique de L'Ouest or UCO) is one of five Catholic universities in France. UCO is best known for its International Center for the Study of the French Language (Centre international d'étude de la langue française or CIDEF), which provides college students from around the world with college-level course instruction in the French language, and for its Institute for the Development of Consulting and Business (Institut pour le developpement du conseil et de l'entreprise orIDCE), an importantbusiness school which offers undergraduate and graduate (MBA) degrees in International Business and Consulting. The town is also home to a state university, theUniversity of Angers, best university in France in 2015 for success rates.[56]
Angers is also home to engineering graduate schools, such as theArts et Métiers ParisTech, top school in mechanical and industrial engineering and theESEO, an engineering school in electronics and computer science andESAIP, an engineering school in risk management and environment. Its education andresearch institutes are the driving force behind the city's science and technology industries. Angers's other educational institutions includelycées, training colleges, and a school of fine art.
Another Angers's Business School isESSCA (École Supérieure des Sciences Commerciales d'Angers). Formerly part of the UCO, the school's Master's program is of a duration of five years. ESSCA recruits students after theBaccalaureat.
In addition to French schools and universities, an American university,St. Edward's University, has a new expanding campus in Angers. St. Edward's University is a diverse, Catholic liberal arts institution fromAustin, Texas. The university has a partnership with UCO, and offers a variety of courses of undergraduate level and professional training.
Before the construction of bypasses during the 2000s, the A11 crossed the city center, following the river Maine, and passed just below the castle. Causing air pollution and noise and disfiguring the Maine quays, the portions of the former highway which are still in place should be redeveloped in the coming years.
Angers inaugurated the new Irigo[57]tram system on 25 June 2011. Thetramway consists of one 12 km (7.46 mi) line with 25 stops. The line runs from Avrillé-Ardenne in the north to Angers-Roseraie in the south, passing by the center and the train station. Service is provided by Keolis using 17Alstom Citadis trams.[58] The system uses partialground-level power supply, which avoids aerial wires and preserves the historical character of the city center. A second line is scheduled for 2018–2022. Besides the tram, Irigo also organizes the bus network in Angers consisting of 13 urban lines and 12 suburban lines.
The bus station, situated outside theAngers Saint-Laud train station, is a hub for the departmental bus network (Anjoubus) and is also served by international bus companies.
The nearest airport isAngers - Loire Airport, which replaced in 1998 an older airport near the Saint-Aubin island. The airport is located in the commune ofMarcé, 20 kilometers (12 miles) from Angers and close to the A11 and the A85. It can receive 50,000 passengers per year.
TheMaison d'Adam (Adam's House) was built around 1500
TheChâteau d'Angers, built on aschist promontory, dominates the riverMaine and the old town. Its site has been occupied since antiquity; the castle itself was built between 1230 and 1240 byLouis IX of France. The massive walls are about one kilometer long and punctuated by 17 towers; they were built with horizontal slices oftuff andschist, giving it strength and an original striped look. During the 15th century, a chapel and the Châtelet were added in the courtyard.
TheMaison d'Adam [fr] ("Adam's House"), located behind the cathedral, is an excellent example of the half-timbered houses which were built during theMiddle Ages. Many similar houses, although smaller, are also visible along the streets around the castle. The city also displays severalRenaissance andclassicalhôtels particuliers, the most renowned being theLogis Pincé from the 16th century. TheMaison bleue ("Blue House"), built in 1927, is anArt Deco masterpiece. The former seat of the French Aviation Company (Compagnie française d'Aviation) was built in 1938 and abandoned during theSecond World War. Totally refurbished in 2004, it is now a testimony to 1930s architecture.
TheAngers Cathedral is a major landmark in the cityscape, with its two spires culminating at 75 meters (246 ft). The construction of the current building started during the 12th century on the remains of an older sanctuary. The original structure,romanesque, received gothic columns and vaults in the middle of the 12th century, giving birth to the Angevingothic, a style that quickly spread in Western France and the Angevin possessions inItaly. Sculptures and architectural details were added to the façade during the 16th century. The twin spires were built in 1518 and 1523. The neighbouringPalais du Tau, the former episcopal palace, dates from the 12th century.
The skyline is also marked by theTour Saint-Aubin. Completed in 1170, it was the bell-tower of an abbey closed during theFrench Revolution and destroyed in 1810. Elaborately sculptured 11th and 12th century arcades also survive in the courtyard of the Prefecture.[59] Another abbey, theAbbaye Toussaint, founded during the 13th century, was also partially pulled down and only the church and parts of the cloister are still visible. On the southern limits of the commune, close to the Maine, stands theCouvent de la Baumette, founded during the 15th century byRené of Anjou.
La Doutre, an old quarter located on the western bank of the Maine and facing the castle, contains two major medieval sites, the formerAbbaye du Ronceray, built during the 11th and 12th century, and theHôpital Saint-Jean, founded byHenry II of England and used as the city hospital until 1870.
TheMusée des Beaux-Arts d'Angers, located in theRenaissanceLogis Barrault, displays a collection of paintings and sculptures dating from the 14th century to today. It is particularly renowned for its 18th-century paintings, including works byJean-Baptiste Greuze,Van Loo,Antoine Watteau,Jean-Honoré Fragonard, andJean Siméon Chardin. The museum also contains a graphic design studio, a gallery devoted to the history of Angers and a temporary exhibition gallery. The institution has an annexe at the château inVillevêque, a village located several kilometers north of the city.
Located inside the oldHôpital Saint-Jean, theMusée Jean-Lurçat et de la tapisserie contemporaine displays tapestries dating from the 19th and 20th centuries. The museum is dedicated toJean Lurçat, an artist noted for his role in the revival of contemporary tapestry, and notably exhibits his "Chant du Monde", a modern echo to theApocalypse Tapestry made after the bombing ofHiroshima.
TheLogis Pincé, constructed during theRenaissance, is the home of the museum of the same name. It displays Egyptian, Greek, Roman, and Etruscan antiquities as well as Chinese and Japanese artifacts.
Located in theAbbaye Toussaint, theGalerie David d'Angers gathers sculptures, reliefs, and medallions byDavid d'Angers, a 19th-century sculptor born in the city. The gallery also owns the preparatory works for thePanthéon of Paris pediment.
Angers also enjoys aMaison de l'Architecture, which organizes various exhibitions and workshops, as well as several temporary exhibition galleries distributed in the city center. Outside the commune limits are also an aviation museum and a museum of communications.
The Musée des Beaux-Arts
Les Génies des Arts byFrançois Boucher, at the Musée des Beaux-Arts
Italian drawing, 17th century, at the Musée des Beaux-Arts
The Grand Théâtre, dominating the Place du Ralliement, was first built in 1791, but destroyed by a fire in 1853. The existing building was completed in 1871 and its auditorium contains six stalls and four balconies, totalling 730 seats. The Théâtre du Quai, inaugurated in 2007, has two auditoriums: one contains 980 seats and several balconies, and the other, more flexible, can welcome 400 seated or 960 standing spectators. The Grand Théâtre and the Théâtre du Quai are the venues of three institutions,Angers-Nantes Opéra, an opera company also based inNantes, the Contemporary Dance National Center (CNDC), inaugurated byAlwin Nikolais in 1978, and the Nouveau théâtre d'Angers (NTA).
TheOrchestre National des Pays de la Loire, shared with Nantes, usually performs at the Congress Center, built in 1983, with a capacity of 1,240 seats. Other concert halls include theChabada, theAmphitéa and the former Ursuline chapel. Local theater companies perform at Théâtre Chanzy, Théâtre du Champ de Bataille, Théâtre de la Comédie or at the Centre Jean Vilar. Each September, the city organizes a street performance festival, called theAccroche-Cœurs.
The Premiers Plans festival, dedicated to European first films and meant to help new directors meet their audience, is conducted every year and lasts one week. The films are screened in three small cinemas, while two biggeneralist multiplexes also exist in Angers.
Angers had a local TV channelAngers 7 which went bankrupt in 2010 and was replaced 3 years later byAngers Télé. The national French channelFrance 3, however, still presents local news in its programs. Several national radio stations, such asVirgin Radio,NRJ andChérie FM maintain local antennas in Angers. The city is also the home of two local stations,Radio Campus andRadio G!.Ouest-France andLe Courrier de l'Ouest are the two local newspapers, the last one having its headquarters in Angers. The city andAngers Loire Métropole also edit their news bulletins.
Angers has many sport teams playing at top levels.Angers SCO is Angers'sfootball team. The club was created in 1919 and returned toLigue 1 (French top league) in 2015 after 21 years. LesDucs d'Angers is Angers'sice hockey team. The club plays in theMagnus League (first division). Anjou BC is Angers'sbasketball team, playing in second division. Vaillante Angers is Angers's table tennis team playing in top division Pro A since the 2000–2001 season. Angers also acts as home to the Angers Aviron Nautique, arowing club which actively competes in regattas across France.
Raymond Kopa Stadium is the main sports venue which can hold 18,000 people. The city also has a variety of sports halls, tennis courts, swimming pools, shooting and archery stands, a velodrome, a rowing center, an ice rink and a fencing hall. TheLac de Maine Stadium hosted the athletics championships in France in July 2009.
^Charles Rostaing (1945). Presses universitaires de France (ed.).Les noms de lieux. Paris. p. 59.ISBN2-13-038660-1.{{cite book}}:ISBN / Date incompatibility (help)CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
^Le duché de Bretagne et la politique Plantagenêt aux XII et XIII siecles, Judith Everard. ",in Marin Aurell and Noël-Yves Tonnerre éditeurs.Plantagenêts et Capétiens, confrontations et héritages, Poitiers. Brepols, 2006, Turnhout. CollectionHistoires de famille. La parenté au Moyen Âge, p. 202
^Histoire de René d'Anjou, Louis François Villeneuve-Bargemont tome II (1446–1476) Editions J. J. Blaise, Paris : 1825
Célestin Port (1989).Dictionnaire historique, géographique et biographique de Maine-et-Loire et de l'ancienne province d'Anjou (in French). Angers: H. Siraudeau et Cie.ISBN978-2-85672-008-0.
Tancrède Abraham (1876).Angers et ses environs. Album de gravures à l'eau-forte (in French). Château-Gontier: J.-B. Bezier.
Daniel Schweitz (2006).Châteaux et forteresses du Moyen Âge en Val de Loire, Touraine, Anjou, Berry, Orléanais, Vendômois, Marche bretonne (in French). Tours: CLD.ISBN978-2-85443-490-3.
Jean-François Bodin (1823).Recherches historiques sur l'Anjou et ses monumens: Angers et le Bas-Anjou, Volume 2 (in French). Degouy.ISBN978-2-85443-490-3.{{cite book}}:ISBN / Date incompatibility (help)
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