Angers Travel Guide
1 / General
Located between Paris and Nantes, Angers is an historical town (500 years BC) that deserves a visit.
Population: 149 017 inhabitants
Area: 42.70 km²
Population Density:3490 inhab/ km² (miles square)
Name of the inhabitants: Angevins, Angevines
Region: Pays de la Loire
Postcode: 49000, 49100
2 / Transport
By car
If you leave from Paris, it won’t take you too much time to get to Angers. On your way there, you will call at Le Mans. From there, take the A11 for about 02h50 and expect to pay €27,80* (toll roads).
However, if you leave from Nantes, your journey will be shorter (1 hour) and less expensive (€8,40*).
Once in town, where should you park your car? Don’t worry about it, Angers has everything under control:
Car parks
With more than 9500 spots scattered around town, there has to be one for you! As for the pricing, expect to pay between €1,20* and €2* for a two-hour-stay, depending on the zone you’re in.
Furthermore, 9 car parks offer free spots if you stay for less than an hour or if you park your car after 7pm. This is what we call a very good deal!
If you want to spot all the car parks around the city center, please visit the Sara website.
Proximity car parks
Here is an economical and environmentally-friendly option used by all.
How does it work you may ask? First, park your car in one of the numerous car parks located around bus stops and tram stations. Second, travel all day long using the public transports. For just €3,90*, you can park your car and take the bus or the tram.
To get more information, please click here.
By train
If you travel from Paris, you will have to go to the Gare Montparnasse. There’s an hourly train for Angers and the journey only lasts 1h35; you will then have plenty of time to visit the city! But if you travel from Nantes, you can take a TGV and be in Angers in just 30 minutes. To check the departure times and book tickets, please visit the SNCF website.
By plane
Want to fly to Angers? Your plane will then land at the Angers Loire airport. Located 20 km far from the city center, you can get there by car or take a taxi. If you wish to discover other French cities, please note that there are regular flights to Dole, Nice, Toulouse, and even London.
Getting around town
In order to properly discover the Angevin city, you can choose between many different means of transport.
By foot
To discover Angers from a historical point of view, what’s better than a peaceful hike? Along the 6-km-long trail, you will walk around town and see what hides behind the beautiful medieval architecture and marvel at the Angers Castle.
The meeting place in at the tourist office (Place Kennedy).
By bike
Just like in any other big city, you can get around town using an economical and environmentaly-friendly means thanks to the Vélocité+.
Created in 2004, the city counts more than 2200 bikes that you can rent even if you have a low budget. To do so, you need to go to the Vélocité+ agency (2 boulevard Auguste Alloneau, 3,5 km far from the city center) and choose the option that suits you best.
1-Day-Contract
This daily contract costs €1* and you can keep your bike for 24 hours.
7-Day-Contract
For this weekly contract, expect to pay €5*.
Prices then vary according to how long you rent your bike. But once again, renting a bike is purse-friendly!
By bus & tram
Improved in 2011, the Irigo network now counts 27 bus lines and 1 tram line that can take you wherever you want.
As for the pricing, the city did its best to prevent you from spending too much money. If you plan to take the public transports once or twice a day, we recommend you to take single tickets. They costs €1,40* and you can travel on the entire network for one hour.
However, if you think you will take the public transports more than twice, then you should take the 24h-ticket. It costs €3,80* and you can use it for 24h on the entire network.
To get more information on the fares, please click here.
3 / When to go ?
- April
- May
- When Angers celebrates summer
- Christmas in Angers
imaJn’ère This festival celebrates science-fiction literature, and you can’t miss it! During this event, you can meet with authors and readers and discuss you passion. ImaJnère is much more than a “book festival”, it’s also a place where you can attend exhibitions and various events. Who knows? You might find you new favourite book there. L’art à 2 pas Now, let’s talk about art. Whether you like photography, engraving or sculpture, you can’t be disappointed with this artistic event. But this is not a classic one: why centralize all those works of art in one place when you can scatter them across the city center? L’art à 2 pas will be the occasion to discover the city as well as new talented artists thanks to 20 “check points”.
Every two years, Angers becomes a colourful city thanks to the Cinéma d’Afrique. festival. If you want to escape the city for a few hours, have a seat at the Grand Théâtre or the 400 Coups cinema. There, you will be able to watch short films as well as full-length feature films coming from all over the continent and meet some of the film makers.
Le Jardin Biologique What’s better than having some fresh air in a beautiful and peaceful garden? From March to August, you are all warmly invited to the botanical garden where Nature and enchantment quietly coexist. Created in 2000, this oasis of calm shows us the benefits of organic farming. During summer, you can also go to the Maison de l’environnement where you can all participate in working group projects to know more about gardening. Tempo Rives From July to August, listen to the sound of electric guitar during the Tempo Rives festival. It’s the perfect occasion for young and independent talents to step on the scene and give a show like real rock stars. You will hear all kinds of music there, from electro to rap and russian music. This event takes place at Quai, a major place for cultural events.
Should you want to relive your childhood, what about going to the traditional Christmas market Located on the Place Sainte-Croix, right at the heart of the historic district, follow the sweet aroma of waffles and mulled wine and have a look at the Christmas decorations and local products. If you’ve always wanted to see true elves, you can go to Santa’s workshop and participate in many ateliers créatifs This Christmas market is also a good opportunity to discover Angers from a new point of view. To do so, go to the Jardin du Mail (in front of the Town Hall) and have a seat in the Ferris wheel… If you dare!
4 / Information and useful addresses
Office du tourisme : http://www.angersloiretourisme.com/en
Emergency Number: 112
Fire brigade: 18
Ambulance: 15
Police: 17
Missing Children: 116
Touristic sites
5 / Budget in Angers
Lodgings
The prices indicated below are just for reference and include the price of one night in a standard double room and may vary depending on the season.
Between €30 and €50*:You will stay in comfortable and cosy hotels, some even having 2, 3, and even 4 stars. Unfortunately, most of those establishments are a bit far from the city center.
Between €50 and €100*:
With this budget, you will be able to stay in up to 4-star establishments. Most of them are located around the city center and close to the station.
Take a look at our website to find a hotel to stay in Angers
Restaurants
The following prices are indicative. They refer to the price of one course or a menu for one.
From €2 to €9*:
You have very little time to eat but still want to taste something delicious? La Casa Jerico is exactly what you need. Surrender to the sandwiches and home-made hamburgers with crazy names. Whether you feel “Rockomotive”, “Indisciplinés” or “Hippocampus”, you will find what your palate wishes for. La Casa also offers a full range of colourful salads and yummy desserts. Draw your forks!
(La Casa Jerico, 25 rue Beaurepaire)
From €8 to €30*:
To experience a typically French atmosphere, go to the Au Goût du Jour restaurant. The menu offers a myriad of delicious recipes made of the finest local products. Tremendously acclaimed by the townies and tourists, you won’t regret this culinary journey just nearby the historic district.
(Au Goût du Jour, 14 rue de la Roë)
From €25 to €130*:
To spend an unforgetable moment, we recommend you to push the doors of the Favre d’Anne .This gastronomic restaurant is simply divine. Located along the Maine river with a view on the castle of Angers, you will completely fall in love with the place. The Chef perfectly combines the different products so that you can taste fabulous meals. This restaurant definitely is a “go-to” place.
(Le Favre d’Anne, 18 quai des Carmes)
6 / Unmissable visits!
- Angers Castle The construction of this impressive castle started during the 13th century and ended during the 16th century. The earls of Anjou lived on those lands way before the first stone was laid. Once the construction started, the dukes of Anjou quickly turned the place into a stately dwelling. The castle is one of the most visited sites in the Maine-et-Loire department, thanks to the presence of the Apocalypse tapestry within its walls.
- The Apocalypse Tapestry This tapestry dates back to 1373 and represents the Apocalypse of St John. This masterpiece was ordered by Duke Louis Ist of Anjou and still remains the biggest medieval tapestry in the world. During the 15th century, King René of Anjou bequeathed it to the cathedral of Angers, which then offered it to the castle in 1954. The tapestry doesn’t only represent the Apocalyspe of St John, you can also spot social and political satires. Keep your eyes open!
- The Cathedral of St Maurice Registered as Historic Monument in 1862, this cathedral is the very first Gothic-Angevin building. Apart from its architectural beauty, you can also have a look at the beautiful stained-glass windows.
- The Collegiate Church of Saint-Martin Located in the historic district of Angers, this collegiate church is one of the best preserved Carolingian structures in France. Registered as Historic Monument in 1928, St Martin Church is both a place of worship and entertainment.
- The Museum of Fine Arts Located in a private mansion, this museum offers no less than 7000 m² of art. The place was restored many times and was even elected “Best Museum in the West of France” by the Journal des Arts. You can follow two different paths to have a look at the permanent collections:
- The “Fine Arts” path Here, objects and paintings are the true ambassadors of the 19th and 20th centuries.
- The “Historic Angers” path Get ready to travel back in time thanks to the archeological and decorative objects that were found thanks to multiple excavations. The Neolithic period has never been that close to us!
- Terra Botanica Need some fresh air and a complete change of scenery? Try Terra Botanica! Enter the very first theme park dedicated to the vegetal kingdom. Discover this unknown world thanks to entertaining activies and thrilling rides. Botanists and explorers in the making won’t be disappointed!
* This travel guide was published in July 2015, prices may then vary.
