Table of Contents:
NOT SO ANCIENT
SHOULD SEE ANGERS.
SAUMUR
CHINON
The term Loire Valley is somewhat misleading. It seems it would be either side of the Loire river from its start to delta.
Depending on who you ask, it doesn’t. The river begins in Southern France, about 40 miles west of where the Rhone and La Drome rivers meet.
It then twists and turns for more than 600 miles before reaching the Atlantic Ocean at Saint-Nazaire.
Many refer to the Loire Valley as the area between Nevers in the east and Nantes to the west.
In defining its World Heritage Site of the Loire Valley, UNESCO limits it from Sully-sur-Loire to Chalonnes. This is approximately 185 miles of river and, for our purposes, still a lot to cover.
So to make it easier, I am breaking this area into three sections.
The Eastern Loire Valley will use Orleans as the base. This will include Blois and Sully-sur-Mer.
The Central Loire Valley will use Tours as the base. It includes Amboise,
This section, Western Loire Valley, will use Angers as a base. This will include Samur and Chinon.
Ancient Angers.
Signs of human presence in Angers date to circa 400,000 BC. Artifacts from the Neolithic (10,000 B.C.), including stone axes, are now in museums. On the castle grounds, they uncover graves from circa 4500.
There are signs of the Andecavi, a Celtic tribe north of the Loire, dating from the 5th century B.C.
By 300 B.C. Angers appears to be a busy fort.
The Romans begin moving into the area in the 2nd century B.C. They build the town of Juliomagnus Andecavorum, which will include an amphitheater. Not all towns rate important enough to have one of these.
After the conquest by Julius Caesar circa 52 B.C., the Romans begin to develop the area. They focus along rivers, which they use for transportation and communication.
During the reign of Emperor Augustus (circa 27 B.C.), the city begins to develop. The Romans also enlarge and strengthen Angers, Tours (Caesarodunum), Le Mans (Noviodunum), Chartres (Autricum), and several more.
They build a road system connecting the towns and Lyon (Lugdunum), the largest Roman city. The Loire Valley region thrives under the Roman Republic and later empire.
Not so Ancient Angers.
By 388, Tours is the largest city of the Roman province of Lugdunum. It rules over the Loire Valley, Brittany, and Maine.
In 371 A.D., Martin becomes the bishop of Tours. Angers receives its first bishop a year later.
In 442, the Roman commander hires the Alans, a mercenary tribe originally from Iran, to help bring order to Gaul. Not only are the locals rebelling, but attacks by the Visigoths are increasing. The Alans do the job and keep part of the area for themselves as payment.
When the Huns under Attila attack in 451 and the Goths in 463, the Alans defeat both. The Franks attack circa 466 and also lose. Around 502 A.D. Clovis, now kind of the Franks, attacks and loses. However, the Alans, wanting cordial relations with the Christian Franks over the Visigoths and their Arian theology, strike an accord. Clovis becomes the king of the area of Gaul between the Seine and the Loire. The Alan soldiers integrate into the Merovingian military.
Franks For the Memories
In 476 A.D., there is the Fall of the Western Roman Empire. Clovis takes over Northern Gaul in the vacuum that follows the fall.
By the early 500’s all of the Frankish tribes are under a single king instead of many tribes. Clovis also ensures that the kingship will pass down to his heirs. He is the founder of the Merovingian dynasty, who will rule the Frankish kingdom until 751. Their domain includes most of modern-day France, Germany, Switzerland, and Austria. They refer to western France as Neustria, new (German) land.
The first abbey, Saint-Aubin, dates from circa 560 A.D. They build it to house the remains of Saint Albinius. The abbey survives through many restorations until the revolution. Today, only a tower remains.
Clovis II will begin the building of Saint-Serge Abbey circa 650 A.D.
Circa 732, a large army of Muslim horsemen from Al-Andalus (Spain) advance deep into France. Charles Martel’s infantry stops them when they are 50 miles south of town in the Battle of Tours. This begins a retreat of the Muslims back to Spain.
While the Franks Play
While the Merovingian dynasty members are busy undermining each other, the mice are playing. Charles Martel asserts himself and his relatives into the mayor of the palace’s position in their kingdoms. Soon they are the de facto rulers of the Franks and the real power behind the Merovingian throne. With the support of the Papacy, in 751, they overthrow the Merovingian kings. The Carolingian dynasty will rule most of France for the next 500 years.
The Carolingian King Pepin begins an ambitious program to strengthen the kingdom. They reform the legislation so the Mayor of the Palace no longer has as much power. Then he continues to support the reforms of Boniface. Moreover, Pepin secures the Pope’s position by defending him from the Lombards in Italy. Also, he acquires land for the Papal States.
Pepin dies in 768, and his sons take over. Their names are Carloman and Charlemagne.
Carloman receives Burgundy, which includes Angers at that time.
Carloman dies of mysterious causes three years later. Funny how French history seems to have A LOT of mysterious deaths… His brother becomes the sole ruler.
Charlemagne brings a cultural revival to the area and appoints Théodulf as the first bishop of Orleans. He renames the area West Francia, even though it includes all of France except Brittany and Normandy.
Charles the Bald, emperor of the Carolingian Empire, sign the Treaty of Angers circa 851, which secures Breton’s independence.
In 870, the Viking chief Hastein seizes Angers and makes it his base for further domination of the Loire Valley. He will remain until circa 892 when the Carolingian Emperor finally pushes him out.
Normans, Is That You?
The Franks’ empire, now Carolingians, was ruling over most, but not all of today’s France. In the upper northeast corner was a band of some of the roughest bullies on the block, Normandy’s Normans. This group was ragtag of Franks, Gallo-Romans, and Norse Viking settlers, and they wanted land.
Circa 911, the Normans sign the Treaty of Saint-Clair-sur-Epte, with King Charles III, the Carolingian king. The Normans get lands along the Seine, defend against other Vikings, and convert to Christianity.
The Carolingian Crown appoints Fulk I of Anjou as the first viscount of Angers and Tours circa 898. Ten years later, he becomes the Count of Nantes and the Count of Angers circa 929. This is the beginning of the first dynasty in Anjou. The House of Ingelger will last until 1060. During this time, Angers will become the capital of the province of Anjou.
House of Capet
The last Carolingian king, Louis V, dies in 987 without an heir. Hugh Capet, a descendent of Charlemagne and relative of Otto the Great, grabs the crown. This begins the rule of the House of Capet.
During the 12th century, Anjou will annex the county of Nantes to the west.
For centuries, Angers would be an important stronghold and the capital of the Plantagenet dynasty.
Starting with the Counts of Anjou, the royal house will grow to include two cadet branches. Cadets (younger sons) receive their own Earldom, which is a branch of the major house. The branches for this house are Lancaster (1267) and York (1385).
How did the French end up owning English earldoms? First, by marriage. Geoffrey V, who receives the nickname Plantagenet is the count of Anjou, Touraine, and Maine (circa 1128.) Later, he becomes the duke of Normandy. He marries Empress Matilda, daughter of King Henry I of England. Their eldest son, Henry II is born circa 1133.
Stephen of Blois grabs the English crown in 1135 when Henry I dies.
Young Henry II, with his mother’s backing, tries to win the crown back. After several bloody battles with Stephen, they reach a shaky peace.
With the 1151 death of Geoffrey V, his titles pass on to Henry II. The next year, Henry II marries Eleanor of Aquitaine, becoming the Duke of Aquitane.
With the 1154 death of Stephen, Henry II grabs the English crown. Western France will belong to England until King Philip II of France regains the lands circa 1204. The Plantagenet dynasty ends in France.
A year later, Philip II takes Normandy and Anjou, making them dukedoms. This ends the Counts of Anjou.
Civil Unrest
Circa 1285, Philip IV becomes King of France. And with him come changes for the entire country. He wants to make the feudal country into a centralized state, giving himself more power. Philip successfully challenges the Pope’s power in France.
He expels France’s Jews circa 1306. He does the same to the Italian Lombards” (bankers) five years later.
A Change in Houses.
King Philip IV of The Capetian dynasty, dies in 1313, leaving three surviving sons to carry on the dynasty. Louis X would die in 1316, Philip V in 1322, and Charles IV in 1328, all without a male heir.
This leaves three potential candidates for the throne.
Philip, Count of Valois, first cousin to the late king, is the closest male heir in line. Charles IV chooses him as the regent before his death.
Joan of Navarre, daughter of King Louis X, is a direct descendent but female. She will later receive the Kingdom of Navarre, which can pass to and through females.
Edward III, King of England, is the son of Isabella of France. She is the only living child of King Philip IV, but there is that little problem with her gender.
So, Philip VI takes the throne and is the first king from the House of Valois. On the surface, it appears all is well. He organizes a university in Angers combining the schools of Medicine, Law, and Theology.
However, all is not calm under the surface. The House of Plantagenet, backing Edward III, is not taking the loss to Philip well.
The Hundred Years War (1337 – 1453)
Finally, the battle over succession between the houses of Valois and Plantagenet becomes a series of battles. France is quite powerful by this time and takes an early lead. However, they do nothing with it.
The Black Death sweeps through France between1347–1350 bringing everything to a halt.
King John II becomes king of France circa 1350. He is fighting the English, but now Joan of Navarre’s descendants is trying to regain the French crown.
In the 1356 Battle of Poitiers, the British pound the French with a humiliating defeat and capture King John II. Edward, seeing an advantage, invades France planning to have himself crowned King of France at Reims. King John II’s son, Charles V, now leading the French, blocks Reims.
Charles V goes on to push the English back, fight off hostility from the French nobility, and a peasant revolt.
However, he cannot win the release of his father. He signs the 1360 Treaty of Brétigny, giving Aquitane to the British Crown. He keeps Touraine, Anjou, Maine, Brittany, and Flanders. England relinquishes any claims to the French throne. Charles V also frees his father for an additional large ransom,
Circa 1364, with the death of King John II, Charles V attacks England. King Edward III, no longer in good health. is no match. By the time of his death in 1377, France has reclaimed part of southern France.
By 1373, Louis I, the Count of Anjou, orders six tapestries. They illustrate the Apocalypse according to St John. The tapestries survive. They now call them the Apocalypse Tapestry.
By Charles V’s death in 1380, the French has taken back almost everything given up in the 1360 treaty. The French navy is off the coast of England for the first time.
A Turn For the Worse
Charles VI is not the soldier or king his father was. His mental illness and psychotic episodes do not help. By 1415, the British crush the French in Northern France near Azincourt, The overwhelming victory boosts the English morale and has the opposite effect on the French.
By 1420, Charles VI signs the Treaty of Troyes. It names King Henry V of England the heir to the French throne upon Charles death.
Luckily for France, King Henry V dies in 1422, two months before Charles VI.
The British claim the infant son of Henry is King of France per the treaty. Charles VI’s son, the Dauphine Charles, says he is the legitimate king as Henry dies before his father. Unfortunately, the British control Reims and Charles cannot be crowned.
And the fighting continues. The English and their allies control most of northern France, including Paris.
The people of France are feeling down. Things are not looking like they will get any better.
And then a young girl starts hearing things.
Jacques d’Arc’s Daughter
Jeanne (Joan) d’Arc receives voices and visions from the Archangel Michael, Saint Margaret, and Saint Catherine of Alexandria in 1428. They instruct her to support Charles, The Dauphin of France, in getting back his father’s crown. And to recover France from English domination. Charles sends Joan to the Siege of Orléans as part of a relief army. The British surround Orleans, a symbolic stronghold to the Dukes of Orléans. They support the claims of the disinherited and banished Charles to the French throne. If the British can seize the city, it will indicate they rule all of France.
A French legend says a woman will deliver them from the English, and they believe Joan is that woman. Civilians start following her commands, much to the disdain of the army. But her strikes are successful, and with each new one, more and more French believe in her. In nine days, the British retreat. It is a massive win for France, especially mentally.
She wins back several smaller towns along the Seine, bringing it back into French control.
She then marches on Reims, where the Dauphin has his coronation as Charles VII of France. This event is the turning of the tide.
She Can’t Get a Signal.
She has a few more minor wins but is unsuccessful during the siege to recapture Paris. Burgundian troops capture her the following year in an ambush. They sell her to the English at their headquarters in Rouen. After the mockery of a trial with only pro-English and Burgundian clerics, they find her guilty of heresy.
They burn her alive, tied to a stake, in the middle of Rouen’s Vieux-Marché during May of 1431. The English burn her two more times, so no relics remain. They then dump her ashes in the river.
Note – A new trial finds her innocent 25 years later. Pope Benedict XV canonizes her as a saint of the Roman Catholic Church In 920.
Angers Beyond the War.
The war finally ends circa 1453. For the next 400 years, Anger’s history is much like that of the rest of France. It regains its prosperity quickly.
Rene, the Count of Anjou from 1434-1480, manages to help stimulate the economy. His sister Marie is the wife of King Charles VII.
Circa 1460, King Louis XI moves into Plessis’s castle in Tours and makes it France’s capital.
King Louis XI contributes to the prosperity of the valley by revitalizing the agriculture industry.
Circa 1477, Angers builds France’s first printing press.
The House of Valois runs out of male heirs circa 1498. Louis XII, of the Valois-Orleans family, accends to the throne of France. The House of Valois-Angoulême will gain the throne in 1515 when Louis dies without an heir.
Welcome to the Renaissance.
By 1495, the Italian Renaissance reaches France.
French kings and nobility import Italian art and sometimes their artists.
They begin building ornate palaces (plural) at great expense.
They fill their courts with great writers, painters, and musicians.
The French Renaissance really gets a kick circa 1533. Henry II of France marries Caterina de’ Medici from THAT Florence family. Despite her un-Christian role in the religious wars, she did do some good. She brings arts, sciences, and music to the French court. She even introduces the origins of ballet from her native Florence.
Loire Valley and the Reformation.
By the 1530s, the Reformation ideas reach the Catholic Loire valley, and some people become Protestants.
King Francis I takes a stance against the Protestants after they denounce Catholic doctrine. It leads to public burnings at the stake for the heretics.
Henry II becomes king on his father’s death circa 1547. He is even more anti-Protestant. He restrains them from worshiping, assembling, or even discussing religion in public.
But the Protestants (Calvinists) continue to grow. Possibly half of the nobility converts, and there are more than 1000 Protestant churches in France.
With the accidental death of Henry II in 1559, his son, 15-year-old Francis II, becomes king. The year before, Francis II marries Mary, Queen of Scots, Claude’s granddaughter, Duke of Guise.
To protect the House of Valois-Angoulême, Catherine steps in as Regent to her young son.
The House of Guise, claiming descent from Charlemagne, makes a play for the crown. They make themselves champions of the Catholic faith.
And Another House.
Enter Louis de Bourbon, founder of the Condé branch of the House of Bourbon, a cadet of the Capetian dynasty. He sides with the Protestants.
The Guise branch wants to eradicate the Bourbon branch, the legal successors, to France’s throne. The Bourbon branch wants the throne back from Catherine’s House of Valois-Angoulême. Catherine is not giving up anything. Where could this lead?
Religious wars soon follow.
By 1562, Orleans is a protestant stronghold. The Duke of Guise leads Catholic troops to recapture Orleans. The duke’s assassination leads to the Edict of Amboise, establishing peace between the two communities.
The edict allows the protestants (Huguenots) religious privileges and freedoms in the privacy of their homes.
A 1572 wedding between Margaret, Catholic King Charles IX’s sister, and Protestant Henry of Navarre does nothing to ease tensions. Or, it never has time to.
A few days later, the king, with his mother Catherine’s pushing, begins a bloodbath against the Protestants. The St. Bartholomew’s Day massacre targets prominent Huguenots in Paris for the wedding. It goes on for weeks, crippling the Huguenots. The final death toll throughout France ranges from 3000 – 5000 people.
When news of the massacre reaches Angers, the local Catholics start a massacre of their own. They dump the slain Protestants into the river. Finally, the aldermen manage to stop the slaughter.
The Edict of Nantes.
Finally, in 1598, Henry of Navarre, heir to the French throne, converts to Catholicism and becomes King Henry IV. From Angers, he issues the Edict of Nantes, which grants Huguenots rights and freedoms.
Although the outright fighting ends, Catholic hostility will continue. The final Protestant death toll in France is between 5,000 and 30,000 during the 38 years of war.
Angers In The 1600s
Circa 1619, King Louis XIII gives his mother, Marie de’ Medici, the governance of Anjou. She moves into the Logis Barrault with her chaplain, Cardinal Richelieu. Thanks to his relationship with the Queen Mother, the Cardinal will wiggle his way into chief minister within five years.
With the 1643 death of Louis XIII, Queen Anne appoints herself sole Regent for the five-year-old son. He will become King Louis XIV in 1654.
The queen does well against famines, epidemics, and a group that did not believe a woman could rule. By 1649, the townspeople of Angers revolt, starting the Fronde in Anjou. The Fronde becomes a nationwide military conflict between people wanting more autonomy and the Royal forces. Bishop Henri Arnauld will intercede with the Queen Mother, avoiding a complete war.
Arnauld will remain as Bishop of Angers until 1692, leaving a lasting mark on the city’s religious life.
By 1652, the governor of Anjou decides to back Louis of Condé, leader of the Fronde. This works up the citizens, and King Louis XIV sends his army to quelch it. The governor immediately surrenders, avoiding all-out warfare.
A Constitutional Monarchy (1789 – 1792)
Starting with the bastille storming on July 14, 1789, it is obvious the populous was at a boiling point.
The new government replaces the ancient administrative positions. The department Maine-et-Loire replaces Anjou.
In late 1793, a Royalist army attacks Angers. Although they number around 20,000 soldiers, they are weak from traveling and have poor training. 4,000 Republican soldiers, with the support of the townspeople, defeat them.
By 1794, the people of Angers are fed up with the Royalists. They shoot 290 prisoners while another 1020 die of illness in the jail. Angers becomes a refuge for Republican families living in Royalist areas.
King Louis XVI appoints the Marquis de Lafayette commander of the National Guard.
With help from Thomas Jefferson, Lafayette draft a constitution, the Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen. It borrows from Jefferson’s Declaration of Independence.
King Louis accepts the constitution and commits to a constitutional monarchy. He is now King of the French.
Unfortunately, Louis cannot give up control.
By April 1792, France is declaring war on Austria and Prussia. The Prussian commander threatens Paris with “unforgettable vengeance” if it opposes any steps to restore the monarchy’s power.
In August, the Parisian National Guard and the federes attack the Tuileries Royal Palace. The king and his family took refuge while a hurriedly-assembled group of deputies votes to “temporarily relieve the king.”
First Republic (1792–1795)
In the late summer, under much intimidation and cheating, they hold elections for a National Convention. With the war against Prussia going well, the Convention abolishes the monarchy and establishes the French First Republic.
By January of 1793, they condemn Louis to death and lop his head off in the Place de la Concorde.
Conservative groups around Europe call for the removal of this revolutionary Convention. France declares war on the Dutch Republic and Britain. The kingdoms of Spain, Portugal, Tuscany, and Naples rally around England, and we have the First Coalition War.
The Convention thinks the population will support them. Higher taxes and a lack of food has the opposite effect. Their popularity plummets. The people begin revolting.
To keep the people in their place, the Convention starts the Reign of Terror. This period includes massacres and public executions to scare the revolutionaries. Citing anticlerical sentiment, treason, or other charges against authorities, the Committee of Public Safety rounds people up.
This quickly leads to anyone that might oppose them. Marie Antoinette, Louise Philippe II, Duke of Orleans, and Robespierre are some of the 16,600 executions. Another 40,000 die in jail.
By 1795, the wars with Prussia, the Dutch, and Spain come to an end.
A committee drafts a new constitution, establishing a legislature with two houses. Hopefully, this will slow down the swings in power like before.
They call it the Directory.
1795–1799.
The Directory is a mix of Republican, broadly centrist, and Royalists. Many of the centrists believe the restoration of Louis XVIII will end the war with Britain and Austria. An election in 1797 shows a significant gain for the Royalists.
The Republicans fearing a return to the monarchy, stage a coup forcing the Council to cancel the election results. They deport sixty-three of the stronger royalists and pass new laws limiting emigres, Royalists, and ultra-Jacobins.
When France invades Egypt circa 1798, the Second Coalition War begins between France and much of Europe.
The Directors rely on the army to enforce decrees and collect revenue from the conquered territories. With no safeguards in place, generals like Bonaparte and Joubert become political players. The system is notorious for its corruption.
A 1799 coup replaces the five Directors of the Directory with five new leaders, the French Consulate.
The 1800s
The French Revolution fizzles out while the world watches Bonaparte.
After his campaign in Egypt, Napoleon heads toward Switzerland on his way to Austria and Italy. He reoccupies Italy
By 1802, France and England sign the Treaty of Amiens, ending the revolutionary war.
Napoleon faces several assassination attempts by the royalists and Jacobins. Using these attempts as an excuse, he creates an imperial system, similar to the one used by the Romans.
He wants his family in important positions with the current constitution that a Royalist (Bourbon) restoration would not be possible.
Next, he runs for Emperor of the French, receiving an overwhelming vote from the people. The Pope officiates the 1804 coronation.
England breaks the peace agreement, and by 1805 Russia allies with them against France. The War of the Third Coalition is on.
Napoleon fights most of Europe until the tide turns circa 1814. The British will spare France if they depose Napoleon. They put him in exile on the island of Elba.
Louis XVIII, the Count of Provence and brother of King Louis XVI, returns from exile and takes the throne.
Napoleon escapes from Elba a year later and returns to France. He restores the French Empire, and Louis XVIII goes back into hiding.
When Bonaparte loses at Waterloo, the British place him on St Helena island, with little chance of escape.
Napoleon, like many conquerors, finally ran out of support.
Angers After Bonaparte
Louis XVIII returns to the French throne and stays until 1824.
Upon his death, his youngest brother Charles X takes the throne. He is unpopular from the start due to his belief in rule by divine right and opposition to civil liberties.
Charles attempts to unify the House of Bourbon by granting the House of Orleans privileges of Royal Highness. His brother Louis did not offer this due to their father’s role in Louis XVI’s death.
By 1830 the people and the government are calling for his abdication.
Members of the Chamber decide that Louis Philippe d’Orléans should take the throne from King Charles.
In August, Charles abdicates, and Louis Philippe I proclaims himself the King of the French.
His reign starts well as he is not pretentious as earlier kings. However, over time his increasingly conservative and monarchical style of governing irritates the politicians. The deteriorating conditions of the working class and the widening gap in income irritate the people.
The 1848 Revolution sees the abdication of Louis Philippe and the creation of the French Second Republic.
In Angers, by 1849, the railway to Saumir opens, connecting to Paris. The extension from Angers to Nantes opens two years later, connecting Paris to the Atlantic coast.
By 1850 they tear down the city walls and replace them with wide boulevards. New districts on the opposite bank of the river begin to grow.
The medieval Angevin University, a victim of the French Revolution, is reborn as the Free Faculty of Angers.
French Second Republic
The Republic lasts from the 1848 Revolution to an 1851 coup. The people elect Prince Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte by a landslide.
With the First Republic’s motto, Liberte, Egalite, Fraternite, they write a new constitution helping everyone. It is immediately unpopular. Prince Louis pretends to get along with everyone without actually committing to anything. Then, when the time is right, he dissolves the Chamber and arrests all the party leaders. He summons a new assembly that prolongs his term of office to ten years.
Second French Empire
The Imperial regime of Napoleon III will last from 1852 to 1870.
On the homefront, there were good times with Napoleon promoting French business and exports.
The greatest achievement is a grand railway network using Paris as the central hub. Tours becomes an important hub in the system. This saves the city’s economy.
French Third Republic
Circa 1870, the Franco-Prussian War breaks out between France and Prussia. Today Prussia is part of Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Lithuania, Poland, and Russia.
The government fails, and they set up the French Third Republic as a provisional government. It works better than the last one and becomes the permanent form of government of France.
The Third Republic will stand until 1940.
To read more about the history of France, click the orange link.
The World Wars
In the First World War, The Loire Valley is far enough behind the lines it does not receive much damage.
Using arrival ports along the Atlantic, The American Expeditionary Force of 25,000 American soldiers sets up its headquarters in Tours. They set up textile factories, repair shops for motorized equipment, an army post office, and a military hospital at Augustins. American engineers lay an additional 1000 miles of railroad from the ports and through Tours, an important supply terminus.
Germany invades Poland by September 1939. The Polish government-in-exile first settles in Angers. It leaves in June of 1940 when German troops enter France. The Germans are in Angers by the end of the month.
The Germans make Angers a regional Kommandantur (headquarters). They seize the Castle de Pignerolle and install the headquarters of the Commander of U-Boats. South of town in Murs-Érigné, they install the Kriegsmarine’s (navy) Atlantic Coast headquarters.
By 1941, Angers already has a Resistance movement, Honneur et Patrie. By 1942 the Germans have deported more than 800 Jews from Angers.
Towards the end of May 1944, the first Allied bombing occurs in the Saint-Laud quarter. Successive attacks destroy the train station and several Nazi strong points.
By August 9, General Patton and his troops are crossing the Maine into Angers. It will take until late the next day to liberate the city.
Angers Today
The population is around 152,000.
Angers is Europe’s largest horticultural center. The city is the hub of the plant breeders’ rights system. Angers is one of the largest hydrangeas producers in Europe. Numerous businesses and universities also have ties to the agricultural community.
Angers is a regional financial center with numerous banks and insurance companies.
It has its hand in the tech community producing computers for several international brands.
There is a large distillery providing many jobs.
Tourism exists but not on the level of cities closer to Paris. The tourists don’t know what they are missing.
What is in Angers for me?
See & Hear.
Visitors can stroll cobblestone lanes and admire the beautiful architecture.
Sit in the cathedral and watch the sun cast colorful splashes of light across the interior through the stained glass.
Another option is to sit in a square, listening to life happening all around you.
Taste & Smell.
Angers is in the Loire garden of France. You could spend a day just smelling and tasting the local produce. There are P.D.O. wine and cheese to sample. Further into the Loire Valley are five wine regions, including the Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé region.
Feel.
Sip a glass of wine from the nearby vineyards.
Watch the shadows growing longer across the steeples.
You are contemplating your day of chateaus, cheese, and French history.
There may be better ways to end your afternoon, but this one doesn’t suck.
Should-see Angers.
Château d’Angers.
Starting as a 9th-century fortress for Anjou’s Counts, what you see today is from the 13th century. The chateau houses the Apocalypse Tapestry.
Cathédrale Saint-Maurice d’Angers.
This Roman Catholic church dates from 1240, although there have been several reconstructions and additions. The pipe organ dates from 1617.
Le palais épiscopal d’Angers
On the north side of the cathedral is the former Episcopal (bishops) palace. The current building dates from the 12th century, although there have been many restorations. Tours take place on Saturday afternoons, but they are only in French.
Montée St-Maurice staircase.
This grand staircase leads from the cathedral down to the Pont de Verdun. At the bottom is a lovely fountain and promenade area. In the summer, artists are often painting images on the steps.
Pont de Verdun
By 1028, the Anjou count replaces a wooden structure with this stone bridge. At the time, it is the only bridge in this area.
Galerie David d’Angers
David d’Angers (real name Pierre-Jean David) was a French sculptor from Angers. Studying sculpture in Paris, he works on the Arc de Triomphe and the Louvre’s exterior before moving to Rome. He spends five years studying the Italian masters before returning to Paris at the beginning of the Bourbon Restoration.
His reputation spreads through the nobility quickly. He will create over 500 busts and medallions. His monumental works include Gutenberg’s statue in the Strassburg main square and the Wounded Philopoemen in the Louvre. His statue Reviving Greece is in the National Historical Museum in Athens. This gallery, just east of the chateau walls, has numerous original works as well as copies.
Place Saint-Éloi.
This square, east of Galerie David d’Angers and south of the cathedral, always seems to have locals passing through. Dating from at least medieval times, it has several sites to see nearby.
Musée des Beaux-Arts.
On the Place Saint-Elol, this art museum is in the Logis Barrault, the city’s oldest (1493) private mansion. Marie de’ Medici will be one of its owners. The museum has two permanent collections, fine art between the 14th – 21st Century and Angers history. Objects and exhibits cover the local area from the Neolithic period to the present day.
Saint Aubin Tower
At the south end of the square is this imposing bell tower from the 12th century. It was part of the 6th-century Benedictine abbey of Saint-
Église Saint-Martin d’Angers
Two blocks from the Place Saint-Éloi, this church is one of the best-preserved Carolingian structures in France. Excavations under the church have found foundations going back to the fifth century A.D. Of the church standing today, some parts date to the 10th century. There have been numerous renovations and updates, so there are now many styles to see.
Place du Ralliement
Originally the Place de la Guillotine, and later Place Saint-Maurille, since 1791, it has been the Place du Ralliement. It was a place for the rallying of soldiers and the National Guard. Circa they plant a Liberty tree (Poplar) in the square. They place a guillotine next to it. It will claim the heads of priests Noël Pinot, Jean-Michel Langevin, and several others of the 99 martyrs of Angers. Today, the pedestrian-only square offers shopping, dining, and theater.
Grand Theater
Dating from 1871, the current building replaces the original 1795 theater lost to fire. Today, the theater offers everything from opera to plays and hosts the Anjou Festival in June and July.
Musée Pincé
In a Renaissance mansion dating from 1535, the building is as fascinating as the collection. Many pieces from private local collections include Greek, Roman, Egyptian, Chinese, and other items. The museum is just off the Place du Ralliement.
Maison d’Adam.
If not the oldest, one of the oldest half-timber structures in the city. Sitting on the Sainte Croix Square, behind the cathedral, this is one of the oldest merchant crossroads in town. The house dates from circa 1500 and gets its name from the carvings of Adam and Eve on the facade.
Around 1849, local confectioner Adolphe Cointreau decides to expand into liqueurs. Starting with a cherry liqueur, he experiments with the recipe using the skins of sweet and bitter oranges for flavor. The result is a less sweet, more intense flavor. Cointreau is a clear liqueur they drink as an aperitif or digestive. Over the years, it becomes an ingredient in cocktails as well. Sometime during WWI, the first sidecar cocktail, using cognac and Cointreau debuts in Paris, although the English say London.
The margarita will never know its birth parents. Coming from somewhere near the U.S. Mexican border sometime during prohibition, there is a 99% chance there was no Cointreau in the first one. Cointreau will replace Triple Sec, a sweeter, less potent orange liqueur, in numerous cocktails over the years. Triple Sec dates from 1834 in nearby Saumur.
The Cosmopolitan cocktail is a great source for endless debate. There is a recipe from the 1930s calling for gin, Cointreau, lemon juice, and raspberry syrup. A major U.S. producer of cranberry juice has a Harpoon cocktail recipe on its label in 1968. Vodka, cranberry, and lime. According to Cointreau, the first time vodka, Cointreau, and cranberry are coming together is in New York City circa 1988. Even if you think you do not like a liqueur, it is an interesting visit.
Eglise Saint Laud
Within view of the chateau, much of this 1876 church will disappear during WWII bombings. The white interior and numerous large stained glass windows (some original) make for a bright interior.
Jardin des plantes d’Angers
This park and botanical gardens date from 1888. The small Ancienne Eglise Saint-Samson XIe Siècle church, dating from 1006 A.D., sits in the park. The English gardens are a great respite to too much sightseeing.
The Museum of Natural Science
Across from the botanical gardens, the two buildings housing the museum is worth the visit. The Demarie-Valentin House dates from circa 1800. The 13th century Old Town Hall holds many of the exhibit rooms. The collection of more than 530,000 objects includes birds, shells, fossils, skeletons, and more.
Musée du Génie
Documenting warfare techniques from the Romans through the World Wars, this is an interesting museum. Through diagrams, models, uniforms, and other items, it gives a good overview of warfare. Unfortunately, all descriptions are only in French. The museum is ten minutes drive south of the town center.
Across the River (Right Bank)
Musée Jean Lurçat
Inside the lovely 1`2th century Hôpital Saint-Jean is a museum with works by artist Jean Lurcat. During the early 1900s, Lurcat is one of several artists responsible for a renaissance in tapestries. The museum is home to his Chant du Monde, his political nod to the Apocalypse Tapestry. The 10 tapestries present his vision of the 20th Century.
Église de la Trinité d’Angers.
The church dates from the end of the 12th century when it replaces a previous church. The current bell tower dates from the 16th century. By a miracle, the church survives the Revolution with little damage. However, circa 1880, it goes through a major renovation. They replace the facade with the Romanesque Revival style. They also replace most of the stained glass windows with new ones by local master glassmaker Thierry fils.
North
Château à Motte de la Haie Joulain
Long before stone fortresses with towers and dungeons, there were motte forts. A motte is a raised area, usually artificial, and they would build a wooden defense upon. The town would be below it, behind a wooden wall. Dating from the eighth century, they would grow in popularity as they can easily build them using local supplies. By the tenth century, there were nearly 600 in what is the present-day Maine-et-Loire region.
The watchtower is a square structure at the highest point. The French will use this building in their forts in Canada and the U.S.A. This reconstruction of a feudal mound is based on a 12th-century plan when they were at their peak. It dates from 1979, although there is the mound from an actual motte fort nearby. Unfortunately, all signage is in French. The site is 15 minutes drive northeast.
Château du Plessis-Macé
This 15th-century castle is 20 minutes northwest of town on the route from Brittany. Its purpose was to warn Angers of approaching enemies and to slow them down hopefully. You can tour on your own or with a reserved tour.
La Perrière Château & Golf
What do you do with a 1699 chateau if you’re not a duke or king? A private residence until 1989, it is now an events space and gourmet restaurant. As for the grounds, they now host an 18-hole golf course. Just north of the town, it is approximately 20 minutes drive from the town center.
East
Château de Pignerolle
This neo-classical mansion dates from 1776. During WWII, the Germans seize the estate and set up a command center. Its main task is to transmit and receive enigma-coded messages with submarines in the Atlantic. Polish codebreakers nearby can intercept and decipher the messages.
The Allies will sink 371 German U-Boats in the Atlantic, with most of them receiving commands from Pignerolle. The mansion and WWII bunkers are not open to the public, but the grounds and gardens are. The site is 20 minutes drive east of town.
South
On the site of an 11th-century castle for the Counts of Anjou, they build a 15th-century chateau. During the French Wars of Religion, the château is severely damaged. Circa 1611, the Duke of Brissac rebuilds the chateau in Baroque architecture. Today, the house is still the private residence of the Duke of Brissac. You can visit this chateau, the tallest in France. It is 30 minutes south of Angers.
Musée de l’ardoise
This eco-museum is part park, part museum. On the site of an old slate mine, you can learn about the history of slate. You can also picnic, hike, or do all three. The site is a 20-minute drive southeast of town.
Saumur
Starting in the west, we look at Samur, approximately 35 miles upriver from Angers. Saumur dates back thousands of years.
Circa 845, the Normans sack the town. By the 10th-century, the chateau is in place to guard the Loire river crossing. Invaders destroy the castle circa 1067. King Henry II of England will rebuild it in the later 12th century. They build much of the town with the local tuffeau stone. During the 1940 Battle of Saumur, teenage cadets from the local cavalry school defend the town. By 1944, Allied bombers level many areas of the town.
Château de Saumur
The building began in the 10th century as a fortification for Theobald I, Count of Blois. Circa 1026, the count of Anjou acquires the property and turns it into a chateau. After its destruction circa 1067, it sits empty for almost 100 years until Henry II of England rebuilds it. Today it is home to a museum of various local collections.
Theatre de Saumur (Le Dome).
Circa 1860, the prosperous city needs a new theater. They build it upon a previous theater from the 1700s. The theater suffers damage during the war and never fully recovers, closing in 2008. After a major renovation, it reopens and today offers a variety of performances.
Musee de la Cavalerie.
For fans of the French cavalry, this museum traces its history back to its creation by Charles VII, circa 1445. The museum presents a chronology of the cavalry’s history using artifacts including uniforms, weapons, banners, and more. The museum is in buildings, some part of the old Cadre Noir stables.
Le Cadre Noir.
After a dismal defeat during the 1815 Napoleonic wars, the French open a new cavalry school in Saumur. The purpose is to retrain the soldiers and standardize the use of horses in war. The first riding masters are officers from Versailles and the royal Tuileries Palace.
After strenuous training to create an elite cavalry, in 1825, they unveil the Cadre Noir of Saumur. After WWI, and the introduction of planes, tanks, and long-range weapons, the need for cavalry was low. The government, realizing the living heritage of this institution, does not pull the plug.
In the 1970s, it will morph into the National Riding School. Today, it still teaches riding disciplines mixing past military and today’s sport. Tours of the facility are available, and shows (galas) take place from time to time. The grounds are ten minutes drive west of town.
Distillerie Combier
Beginning as a confectioner, in 1834, Jean-Baptiste Combier and his wife Josephine try making an orange liqueur.
Oranges (and lemons) have been in the Loire valley since their introduction in 1500 at Château Gaillard in Amboise. They are a special treat, as is anything tasting of orange.
Their clear sweet orange liqueur becomes an instant hit. They call it Triple Sec. The distillery goes through a renaissance circa 2000, with new owners honoring its reputation and recipes. They manage to reintroduce the production of Absinthe, illegal since 1915. For the fan of liqueurs, a visit here should be on your list. Reservations are necessary. It is near the Cavalry Museum.
Musée des Blindés.
For the fans of armored vehicles and war in general, this is a must-see. Right outside town is this warehouse of more than 800 vehicles, close to 20% still working. The largest collection of its kind in Europe includes French, American, Italian, German, Russian vehicles, and more.
Pont Cessart
Linking Saumurs old town with the island of Offard, there has been a bridge since 1770. It has been a target many times with numerous renovations.
Caves Ackerman
Ackerman Laurance begins winemaking circa 1811. It is not for 20 more years before he discovers they are perfect for sparkling wines. Tour the caves and sample the wine less than ten minutes west of town.
Musée du Champignon.
Just out of town to the west is this small museum that features more than 250 species of mushrooms. Residing in tunnels cut out of tufa stone, they grow and even sell mushrooms here.
Pierre et Lumière
This beautiful troglodyte (cave living) site tunnels through the local tufa stone. Here you can view around twenty tufa sculptures of monuments from the Loire Valley. It is also west of town.
Château de Breze
ten minutes south of Saumur, this beautiful chateau dates from the11th-century. You can tour the inside of the chateau and purchase wine from their vineyard surrounding the property.
Château de Montsoreau-Museum of Contemporary Art
A 20-minute drive east along the river brings you to this chateau dating from circa 1450. This makes it one of the oldest chateaus in this area. Today, this flamboyant chateau is home to an impressive collection of works from the Art and Language conceptual movement.
Royal Abbey of Fontevraud
Dating from 1119, this is a double monastery with a separate side for monks and nuns. They would all answer to the Abbess.
.Henry II, The King of England, Eleanor of Aquitaine, and their son, King Richard the Lionheart, are all buried here. Isabella of Angoulême, the second wife of Henry II and Eleanor’s youngest son John is also here. During the French revolution, the monastery closes. In the 1800s, it becomes a prison.
Chinon
The town of Chinon is just over 30 minutes drive southeast along the Vienne river. For such a small town, it has much to offer.
The town is in the Appellation d’Origine Controlee (A.O.C.) Chinon, so expect wine and things relating to wine. Although a small town, it can get crowded with tourists in the daytime. Note, many establishments, especially small wineries, only take cash. Also, bring a few words in French.
Forteresse Royale de Chinon
It starts with a history similar to Saumur’s castle, Theobald I builds it, then passes to Anjou’s counts. King Henry II of England also seizes it from his relatives in 1156 and makes it a residence. Much of what you see today is from this period.
Les Caves Painctes.
This network of tunnels running beneath the château began as quarries. In the 15th-century, they realize they are a perfect temperature for storing wine. The entrance is in the town below the castle.
Chapelle Sainte-Radegonde de Chinon
Overlooking the town from the hill on the north side, this chapel is part building, part cave. The building is possibly from the late 12th-century. Highlights are the 6th-century tomb of a religious hermit and12th-century mural paintings.
Le Carroi, Musée d’arts et d’histoire
Inside a building from the 15th-century is a lovely collection of local objects, artifacts, and artworks. The collection includes items from prehistoric times to the present day. The museum is towards the center of town.
Musée du Vin et de la Tonnellerie
This is an interesting and tasty stop right in town. A small museum in the basement of old animated figures tells about wine barrel making. Look past the characters to the objects in the displays. Many are original items. The three rooms of the museum are more a man’s dream than an in-depth lesson on winemaking. In the end, you get a glass of local wine.
You can also choose from a Prix fix menu by the chef (owner, curator, bottle washer.) It will be whatever he can get at the market that day but will be good local cuisine. This is more of an experience than a museum. The owner only speaks a little English (not the country’s language) so bring the French you remember from school.
Caves Plouzeau
Another set of tunnels running under the castle where you can sample local wines. Approach it as a wine shop, not a vineyard where you are getting winemaking demonstrations. It is a unique setting for wine tasting and a little chilly. Bring a light sweater just in case.
Domaine Couly-Dutheil
Although the grapes come from three different appellation areas, their wine tastings take place in town. They produce award-winning red, white, and rose wines. In 2021, they will celebrate 100 years of winemaking. The wine tasting is near the car park for the Chateau Chinon.
North Side of the River
Château de la Grille
North of town is this lovely chateau with a history reaching back to the 14th-century. Today, after several renovations, the chateau is in the Neo-Gothic style. The grapevines surround the property. Reservations are mandatory.
Château de Sonnay
A 15-minute drive east of town is this charming castle of a knight dating to 1268. Since then, there have been many owners and many renovations. Today, it is a winery and a setting for the series “Emily in Paris.”
Ecomusee Véron.
The exhibits inside explain the region’s heritage, history, art, and archaeology. Outside, there is a Natura 2000 ecological site of almost ten acres. The site is northwest of town, near where the Loire and Vienne rivers meet.
Pierre and Bertrand COULY
Northeast of town, this family-run vineyard does not require reservations for tasting and is open on Sundays. Tours require an invitation.
Domaine de Noiré / Jean-Max Manceau
Just outside of town to the east is this wine Domaine. Open in the afternoon for visits except for Sunday, and special programs require advanced reservations.
South Side
Château des Brétignolles
Like other properties in the area, the chateau began as a secure home for a knight before becoming a chateau. There have been numerous owners, and today, it is open for tours and private events.
Château de Marçay
This 15th-century chateau is on the foundations of an 11th-century fortress. For almost 50 years, it has been a lovely hotel and restaurant. The property is approximately a 15-minute drive south of town.
Château du Rivau
Dating from the 13th century, the chateau belongs to the Beauvau family. Circa 1454, their daughter Isabeau marries a member of the House of Bourbon. It is not until 1510 that they build the monumental stables supplying royal stallions. However, their warhorses are famous long before. Joan of Arc would stop in 1423 in search of horses. Today the castle and gardens are open April – November for touring. The chateau, 15 minutes south of town, is also a lovely bed and breakfast with a restaurant.
Château de Ligré
Another wine chateau but less pretentious in its architecture and not catering to busloads of visitors. It is everything you want in a chateau visit. The staff is friendly, and their award-winning wines are delicious. There are also a few beds and breakfast rooms on the property. The location is near other wineries southeast of town.
Musée Rabelais, Maison La Devinière.
Just south of town is François Rabelais’s birthplace, a satire writer and composer during the Renaissance. This literary museum and house include some of his illustrations, publications, and personal belongings.
Abbaye de Seuilly
The ruins of this abbey date from 1100. They legally abandon it in 1736. Today, you can wander the grounds or overnight in the buildings still in use. The abbey is 15 minutes drive southwest of town.
Picroboule
The French Boules is similar to the British Bowls and Italian Bocce. They all involve balls, and all descend from the Romans.
This “museum” explains the history, playing techniques, vocabulary, and folklore of the sport. You can often watch a match taking place. Signs are in English, but tours are only in French. The museum is five minutes beyond the Abbey de Seuilly.
Angers Summary
People try to see the Loire Valley in one day from Paris. I hope you can see that would not even be the tip of the iceberg.
Unfortunately, Angers is the furthest from the capital and does not get the attention it deserves.
To scratch the surface of the Loire, you really need at least three days,
Make sure Angers, and its surrounding area is part of it.