Things to see and do Anjou

A glass roof in place of the collapsed roof of an old church is an original idea to highlight the works of a sculptor from Angers, whose most famous works are far from his native town. You will see some preparatory drawings, statues, busts and medallions because, as you may have guessed, this was the speciality of David, known as d'Angers (not to be confused with the painter Jacques-Louis David, with whom he also trained). Most people know this artist thanks to the many streets that bear his name, but we often ignore his art. The sculptures of David d'Angers, which were generally commissioned, are to be found in the Espace Européen Gutenberg in Strasbourg as well as on the pediment of the Panthéon and in Père-Lachaise. In the former Toussaint abbey church, the plaster moulds of his works are on display, which he sent en masse to the Beaux-Arts of Angers in order to thank the city for having granted him a scholarship to study in Paris and then in Italy. The busts made by the sculptor are arranged on a mezzanine from which one can admire both the works as a whole and the elegance of the place, which would certainly have pleased this artist who himself nourished the architectural heritage by contributing to the Concorde bridge in Paris. This museum is out of the ordinary while reflecting a certain classicism, in the image of the artist that David d'Angers was, singular and yet admired by the Academy.

In its forest, on the edge of the water plan, this small commune houses a workshop to manufacture statues of lead known worldwide by the collectors! For two centuries, the same specific gestures… founded in 1785 in Paris and installed since 1994 in Anjou, the workshop has been perpetuating the great tradition of lead soldiers for more than two hundred years. Each figurine is always cast, mounted and carefully painted according to ancestral processes.

This 112-hectare park is a haven of peace for joggers with its 4, 5 or 8 km of paths around the Saint-Nicolas pond, but also a superb playground and discovery area for children, with its toy boat basin, its pedal carts and its animal enclosures. Come and (re) discover this pleasant park for a stroll, a picnic, to enjoy the refreshment bar in good weather, or why not for a little ride on the merry-go-round for young and old alike.

Located a few meters from the banks of the Maine River, this museum is composed of two very distinct places. On the one hand, the Saint-Jean Hospital, in its magnificent 12th century room, houses Le Chant du monde, a masterpiece by Jean Lurçat. These ten panels, 80 metres long, are inspired by the famous tapestry of the Apocalypse by John of Bruges. The part known as the former orphanage dates from the 17th century and houses some sixty works exhibited chronologically, mixing temporary works and the museum's own collection (Jean Lurçat, Josep Grau-Garriga and Thomas Gleb).

Founded in 1801, the Beaux-Arts are housed in several buildings in the historic centre, including a magnificent 15th-century town house, the Logis Barrault, in the flamboyant Gothic style. Covering 3,000 m², the museum has two sections: one devoted to sculpture and painting (particularly primitive and classical), the other to the history of Angers (objects from archaeological excavations). It also includes a graphic arts room and a garden decorated with statues which, in the 20th century, replaced the orchard where the famous Doyenné du Comice pear was invented.

Practice: these circuits are marked on the ground of different colors. Discoveries accompanied by various themes (heritage development, the heart of the city, museums, traditions, history, weaving, monuments…) on Wednesday at 14 a. m., 18 p. m., 21 p. m., from 15 June to 7 September. And for those who do not shy the wider routes, the CAC has developed 19 circuits between Loire and Lecourbe, including 5 circuits on its territory (information to the Agglomération agglomeration Community). On the route of know-how, the tourist office takes you to the discovery of honey production, in the workshop of a potter or a sculptor on wood, the laboratory of a chocolate maker, the preparation of the famous vendéenne brioche, etc.

It does not invent! The museum recounts 130 years of artisanal and industrial history dedicated to the manufacture of this essential accessory that revolutionized the choletaise industry. He occupies an old factory and bears witness to a concept that has hit: install factories in the countryside! From the factory to the museum, there was only one step, which he invites you to pass in turn and you will not regret it. Videos and demonstrations organized the visit where unusual unusual models, tools and machines are available.

The address is worth a little detour. But you need to book and be in a group to visit this museum. Created in 1954 by the village priest, Father Moreau, the People's education association concerned was very soon interested in amateur theatre. Thanks to the popular enthusiasm she aroused around her, she became a very large hiring of costumes, open to all troops, first of all, and then everywhere, really everywhere. It must be said that it has an impressive collection: 13 000 costumes ranging from antiquity to day and 600 available decor. Costumes of soldiers, Roman centurions, musketeers, monks, French Cancan dancers, Middle Ages dresses, Empire, or corbeille like those of Marie-Antoinette: everything is there. The visit ends with the permanent exhibition on the genesis of the theatre which also offers a beautiful collection of masks of the commedia dell'arte.

In 2016, Angers obtained the label, «Fleur d 'or», which a municipality can only obtain once every 6 years, and which rewards the city's efforts in landscaping. With over 100,000 trees, 800 hectares of green spaces, 43 parks and gardens, 300,000 plants produced in municipal greenhouses, Angers is certainly a green city. In the nineteenth century, greenhouses, nurseries and fruit gardens forged a horticultural identity that lasted since Angers created in 2005 Vegetates, a pole of competitiveness of the plant, bringing together companies, training and research centers, which makes it an international reference in the field of plant innovation. An ideal city to stroll through the greenery: in the city center, the Jardin des Plantes, with its romantic atmosphere made possible thanks to its English layout in 1901, has 70 remarkable trees while the Jeanne-d 'Arc lanes have disappeared for young shoots. In spring and summer, the Mail garden bloom offers beautiful colors in the eyes of walkers. They can also enjoy the 110 ha of Saint-Nicolas Park, which will also delight athletes, children (playgrounds and animals) and nature lovers of all kinds. Its history is ancient since it is Foulque Nerra who dug the pond to create quarries and mills. Much more recently, Balzac Park extends its roads and woods along Maine and is regularly flooded. Its creation is the result of numerous consultations which ensure the sustainable and ecological management of these ancient landfills and alluvial meadows rich in biodiversity. The Arboretum is a pleasant place to relax with flowers, greenhouses and water bodies. There is a small semi-enclosed area in which all the biotopes in the region have been recreated with information signs. Terra Botanica, the first playful and pedagogical green park, offers nearly 110,000 m ² of gardens and aquatic areas with a quarantine of attractions.

In the birthplace of Joachim du Birthplace, pushing the doors of this charming th-century turret, invites to open the intimate doors of the works of the poet and prolific current of the Pléiade. «I like the stay of my ancestors/What Roman palaces the bold front…» who recited this vibrant tribute to the loved village? Several appointments on calligraphy address the theme: when writing becomes an art.

Boarding in Oudon or Champtoceaux for a one-hour tour on the Loire. From the tower of Oudon to the port of Patache, passing through the Siffrait Folies or Clermont Castle: travel through water, stories and anecdotes to the key, to better perceive the natural riches of the river and its heritage. Thematic outputs with LPO can be organized. Compulsory reservation at the tourist house (Tel. 02 40 83 57 49) or in Loire on Stage (Tel. 02 40 83 60 00). The Tour Loire on stage including the Luce cruise and the medieval tour in Oudon is at 11 € and 5,50 € for children.