Angers  is a city in western France, about 300 km (190 mi) southwest of Paris. Not including the metropolitan area, Angers is the third most populous commune in northwestern France after Nantes and Rennes and the 18th in France.

Country	France
Region	Pays de la Loire
Department	Maine-et-Loire
Government
Mayor (2020-2026)	Christophe Béchu
Area	42.70 km2 (16.49 sq mi)
Urban	201.4 km2 (77.8 sq mi)
Metro	2,380.4 km2 (919.1 sq mi)
Population (2017-01-01)	152,960
Rank	18th in France
Time zone	UTC+01:00 (CET)
Summer (DST)	UTC+02:00 (CEST)

Nicknames

Angers was traditionally known as the “Black City” (la Ville Noire) because many roofs were built of slate, due to the quarry in neighbouring Trélazé. These have become less common since the development of the city in the 19th century. The city has also been known as:

• “Green City” (Ville verte), in reference to its numerous parks and important horticultural industry
• “Angers the White” (Angers la Blanche), from its modern tufa façades and with ironic reference to its former name

Geography

Location

Angers in located at the geographical center of the Maine-et-Loire department, on the road which connects Paris to the Atlantic ocean. The city is situated just south of the confluence of the Loir, Mayenne and Sarthe which form together the river Maine. The Maine crosses Angers and heads south towards the Loire. The confluence of the three rivers and the proximity of the Loire make up a natural crossroads which favoured the foundation of the antique Juliomagus.

Climate

Angers has an oceanic climate, with moderate rain year-round. Winters have scarce frosts and snowfalls, and summers are warm and sunny.

Green areas

Being both at the edge of the Val de Loire World Heritage site and on the largest river confluence in France, 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 Saint-Aubin island protected area
• Planted quays around the river Maine
• Jardin du Mail
• Sunset on the Lac de Maine
• Terra Botanica

Economy

In the mid-19th century, the principal manufactures were goods for sailing ships (sailcloth and rope), linen and hose, sugar, leather, wax, and oil, as well as agricultural products (mainly wheat, wine, and fruit). Cointreau developed the distillation of liqueurs from the area’s fruit to an industrial level. The area’s vineyards focused on sparkling wine and fruit was increasingly preserved for sale elsewhere.

Thanks to its several higher education schools, laboratories, and various offices, Angers is the largest horticultural center in Europe. The local economy also relies on the presence of many administrative, educational, and health institutions. Angers also serves as a regional financial center, with many banks and insurance companies (including Afone, CNP Assurances, Crédit Agricole, Fiducial, and Groupama) maintaining their regional offices there.

Health and education

The Hôtel-Dieu, founded in the 12th century, is one of the oldest hospitals in France. It has 1,500 beds and around 5,500 people work there. 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.  The town is also home to a state university, the University of Angers, best university in France in 2015 for success rates.

Angers is also home to engineering graduate schools, such as the Arts et Métiers ParisTech. Its education and research institutes are the driving force behind the city’s science and technology industries. Angers’s other educational institutions include lycées, training colleges and a school of fine art.

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 from Austin, Texas.

Transport

Angers inaugurated the new Irigo tram system on 25 June 2011. The line runs from Avrillé-Ardenne in the north to Angers-Roseraie in the south, passing by the center and the train station.

The bus station, situated outside the Angers Saint-Laud train station, is a hub for the departmental bus network (Anjoubus) and is also served by international bus companies.

Angers is on both the Nantes-Paris and Nantes-Lyon railways. The main station, Angers Saint-Laud, has direct TGV services to Paris (1 hour 30 minutes), Lyon (3 hours 45 minutes), Strasbourg (4 hours 35 minutes), and Lille (3 hours 25 minutes), as well as Avignon, Marseilles and Montpellier.

The nearest airport is Angers – Loire Airport.

Culture

Main sights

The Château d’Angers, built on a schist promontory, dominates the river Maine and the old town.

The Maison d’Adam [fr] (“Adam’s House”), located behind the cathedral, is an excellent example of the half-timbered houses which were built during the Middle Ages. Many similar houses, although smaller, are also visible along the streets around the castle. The city also displays several Renaissance and classical hôtels particuliers, the most renowned being the Logis Pincé from the 16th century.

La Doutre, an old quarter located on the western bank of the Maine and facing the castle, contains two major medieval sites, the former Abbaye du Ronceray, built during the 11th and 12th century, and the Hôpital Saint-Jean, founded by Henry II of England and used as the city hospital until 1870.

• The distinctive striped towers of the castle
• The castle
• The Châtelet in the castle
• House Poisson
• Façade of House of Croissant
• Logis Pincé
• The “Blue House”
• The cathedral
• Inside the cathedral
• Palace of Tau
• Tower of Saint-Aubin
• Abbey of Ronceray
• Abbey of Saint Nicholas (Mother-House of Good Shepherd Sisters)
• The bridges over Maine (view from the Angers Castle)

Museums

• The Musée des Beaux-Arts
• Les Génies des Arts by François Boucher, at the Musée des Beaux-Arts
• Italian drawing, 17th century, at the Musée des Beaux-Arts
• Musée Jean-Lurçat
• Galerie David d’Angers
• Galerie David d’Angers

Entertainment and performing arts

The Orchestre 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 the Chabada, the Amphitéa 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 the Accroche-Cœurs.

The Chabada, a popular concert hall, is the cradle of the Angevin contemporary scene and several groups and performers were discovered there.

Sport

Angers has many sport teams playing at top levels. Angers SCO is Angers’s football team. Les Ducs d’Angers is Angers’s ice hockey team. Anjou BC is Angers’s basketball team, playing in second division. Vaillante Angers is Angers’s table tennis team playing in top division Pro A since the 2000–2001 season.

Jean-Bouin 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.