Angers

For other uses, see Angers (disambiguation).

Angers
View of the river Maine, the castle and the spiers of the Cathedral
Coat of arms
Location of Angers
Country	France
Region	Pays de la Loire
Department	Maine-et-Loire
Arrondissement	Angers
Canton	Chef-lieu of eight cantons
Intercommunality	Angers Loire Métropole
Government
• Mayor (2012–2014)	Frédéric Béatse (PS)
Area 1	42.70 km2 (16.49 sq mi)
• Urban	188.6 km2 (72.8 sq mi)
• Metro	2,353.8 km2 (908.8 sq mi)
Population  (2009)	147,305
• Rank	18th in France
• Density	3,400/km2 (8,900/sq mi)
• Urban  (2009)	215,132
• Urban density	1,100/km2 (3,000/sq mi)
• Metro  (2009)	394,710
• Metro density	170/km2 (430/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+01:00 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+02:00 (CEST)
INSEE/Postal code	49007 /49000, 49100
Elevation	12–64 m (39–210 ft)
Website	www.angers.fr
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

Angers ([ɑ̃.ʒe] )) is a city in western France, about 300 km (190 mi) southwest of Paris, and the chef-lieu of the Maine-et-Loire department. Angers was before the French Revolution the capital of the province of Anjou, and inhabitants of both the city and the province are called Angevins. The commune of Angers proper, without the metropolitan area, is the third most populated in northwestern France after Nantes and Rennes and the eighteenth in France.

Angers is the historical capital of Anjou and was for centuries an important stronghold in northwestern France. It is the cradle of the Plantagenêts dynasty and was during the reign of René of Anjou one of the intellectual centres of Europe. Angers developed itself at the convergence point of three rivers, the Mayenne, Sarthe and Loir, all coming from the north and flowing south to the Loire. Their convergence, just north of Angers, creates the Maine, a short but wide river that flows into the Loire several kilometers south. The Angers metropolitan area is a major economic centre in western France, particularly active in the industrial sector, horticulture and business tourism.

Angers proper covers 42.70 km² and has a population of 147,300 inhabitants, while c. 394,700 live in its metropolitan area. Angers is the centre of an agglomeration community, Angers Loire Métropole, made up of 33 communes covering 540 km² and 287,000 inhabitants.

Angers enjoys a rich cultural life, made possible by its Universities and museums. The old medieval centre is still dominated by the massive château of the Plantagenêts, home of the Apocalypse Tapestry, the biggest medieval tapestry ensemble in the World. Angers is also both at the edge of the Val de Loire, a World Heritage Site, and the Loire-Anjou-Touraine regional natural park.

Toponymy

Name origin

The town is called Andegavum Angers on this 1657 engraving

The city is first mentionned by Ptolemy around 150 AD in his Geography. It is then called Juliomagus (written Ιουλιομαγος in ancient Greek). The city appears again on the Tabula Peutingeriana, under the name of Iuliomago.

The antique name of Angers, Juliomagus, is composed of Julius, probably a dedication to Julius Caesar, and of the Celtic word magos, which means "market". Similar town dedications were common in Roman Gaul, and toponyms often kept a Gallic element. Later, the determinant Andecavorum was often added to the name, which thus became Juliomagus Andecavorum. Andecavorum refers to the Andecavi, the Gallic people that lived in and around the city.

Andecavorum finally gave to the city its current name. Around 400 AD, the primitive form, Juliomagus, is replaced by the term civitas, forming civitas Andecavorum, a common change in Gaul also visible in the names of Paris, Tours or Évreux which then started to use the name of the local Gallic tribes.

During the Middle Ages, Angers is successively mentioned as Andecava civitas (6th century), Andecavis (769 AD), Andegavis (between 861 and 882), Angieus (in 1127) and Angeus (in 1205). The form Angiers appears during the 12th century, and is later corrupted in Angers. The final -s is a trace of the Latin ablative-locative cases.

Andecavum gave also the name Anjou, which designates the province where Angers is. This double formation is quite common in France, for example with Poitiers/Poitou and Bourges/Berry.

Nicknames

Angers bears several nicknames:

• "Athènes de l’Ouest" (Western Athens), a nickname from the 19th century, inspired by the University, colleges and cultural circles;
• "Ville des fleurs" (City of Flowers), a nickname from the Second French Empire (1852-1870);
• "Ville verte" (Green City), in reference of the numerous parks and the horticulture tradition;
• "Angers la Blanche" (Angers the White), because of its tufa facades, or "Angers la Noire" (Angers the Black) because of its slate rooves.

Geography

Location

The confluence of the Maine and the Loire some kilometers south of Angers

Angers in located at the geographical centre 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.

Angers is distant 91 km from Nantes, 124 km from Rennes, 132 km from Poitiers and 297 km from Paris. It is also 118 km far from Pornic, the closest sea resort, situated on the Atlantic ocean.

Elevation varies between 12 and 64 meters above sea level. Angers is in fact a hilly town, marked by a rocky promontory dominating the lower valleys of Anjou. The antique city was founded on this promontory and it is where stand today the castle, the Cathedral and the medieval quarters.

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 the Val de Loire. The étang Saint-Nicolas and Lac de Maine, both artificial, are among the biggest green areas of the city.

Metropolitan area

The commune of Angers is bordered by ten other communes which form various suburbs. These are, clockwise, Avrillé, Cantenay-Épinard, Écouflant, Saint-Barthélemy-d'Anjou, Trélazé, Les Ponts-de-Cé, Sainte-Gemmes-sur-Loire, Bouchemaine and Beaucouzé. 22 other communes situated farther form with them the agglomeration community of the Angers Loire Métropole. All these peripheral communes are situated within 17 km from Angers proper. They unite together c. 272,400 inhabitants.

Climate

Angers enjoys a very mild climate because of its location between oceanic and continental climate. Winters are usually wet, with scarce frosts and snowfalls, and summers are warm and sunny.

Mois	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sept	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Average high (°C)	7,9	9,2	12,6	15,3	19	22,6	24,9	24,7	21,8	17	11,4	8,4	16,2
Average low (°C)	2,1	2,2	3,9	5,6	8,9	11,8	13,6	13,4	11,3	8,4	4,6	2,8	7,4
Average (°C)	5	5,7	8,2	10,4	13,9	16,2	19,2	19,1	16,5	12,7	8	5,6	11,8
Precipitation (mm)	62,1	50,8	51,7	44,6	54,4	41,2	43,8	44,9	52,2	59,6	64,5	63,4	633,4
Sunny hours per month	70	92	141	179	201	234	248	237	191	129	89	65	1877
Source: Climatology from 1947 to 2008 - Angers, France

Urban morphology

Angers around 1850, with the river Maine at the middle, the castle 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 the castle stands. The urban structure there dates back from the 13th, 14th and 15th centuries. A military presence there is attested since the 3rd century and some remains of an antique city wall are still visible in the castle grounds This wall was built to protect the city from the Germanic invasions of 275-276 AD.

The Castle was during the Middle Ages the core of the city defense system, composed of tall city walls and river chains to prevent enemy ships from going up the Maine. The walls where last reconstructed between 1230 and 1240, on an order of Louis IX of France. Today, portions of wall are still visible in Rue Toussaint and Boulevard Carnot, as well as some towers, like the Tour Villebon and the Tour des Anglais.

Before the first cadastre (1810), the city had maintained much of its medieval limits: on and around the castle promontory, with some dwellings on the other bank of the Maine, a quarter called La Doutre. That part of the city experienced a quick development during the industrial revolution and became a big river port. Industry was encouraged by firms like Bessonneau (textile factories) and Cointreau (distillery). After 1850, many suburbs appeared around the train stations and the farther slate quarries in Trélazé. Despite the port in La Doutre, demographic growth and urban extension were still more important on the eastern bank of the Maine, on which the antique Juliomagus was founded.

The medieval city centre was redeveloped and expanded from 1791. The Place du Ralliement, the main square, is then built in place of three churches destroyed during the French Revolution and, later, ring boulevards planted with trees replaced the city walls. The architectural style used is mainly Haussmanian, but leaves sometimes room for Palladian, Art Nouveau or Art Deco buildings.

After 1945 and the Second World War, several large council estates made of tower blocks are built around the city centre, the first of them being Belle-Beille in 1953. The industrial activities drastically changed; the port activity declined whereas new factories, such as Technicolor SA in 1957, emerged. During the 1970's, the modernist approach on urban extension is replaced by a more individualistic point of view and more and more detached houses are built for the middle class. The metropolitan area keeps enlarging, commuting is generalised and new shopping areas are constructed close to the former villages engulfed by the city. Because of the floodplains that surround the city north and south, Angers can only grow significantly on an east-west axis.

• 
  The Tour des Anglais, a remain 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
• 
  The Place du Ralliement
• 
  A department store on a 19th century street
• 
  A council estate in La Roseraie

Green areas

Gardens in the castle moat.

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 centre 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 the Renaissance, when the moats of the castle are transformed into pleasure and kitchen gardens. Similar gardens are built by the aristocracy around their mansions and medicinal gardens are planted in hospices cloisters. The Jardin des plantes, the first botanical garden, dates back from the beginning of the 18th century. During the 19th century, other ones are built, for example the Faculty of Pharmacy garden and the Roseraie. The first recreational parks, for their part, where built during the Second French Empire. The étang Saint-Nicolas, made by a sluice on a small river, the Brionneau, is protected as soon as in 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 Mail François Mitterrand, was built in 1999 together with a garden inside the new Saint-Serge business district. At last, during the 1960's, the old gravel pits around the Maine confluence were filled with water to form the Lac de Maine, which now hosts a nautical centre and in 2010, a large amusement park, Terra Botanica, was inaugurated nearby.

• 
  The Saint-Aubin island protected area
• 
  Planted quays around the river Maine
• 
  Jardin du Mail
• 
  Sunset on the Lac de Maine
• 
  Terra Botanica

History

Heraldry

Coat of arms of Angers

Coat of arms under Napoleon's rule

The coat of arms of Angers bears the fleur de lys of the counts and dukes of Anjou; the key evokes the stonghold position of the city close to the Breton border. An acrostic from the Middle Ages calls it "Antique clef de France", which means "Antique key to France":

• Antique clef de France, (antique key to France)
• Necteté de souffrance, (sharpness of displeasure)
• Garant contre ennemys, (guarantor against enemies)
• Estappe d’asseurance, (step of assurance)
• Recours de secourance, (help of relief)
• Seccurité d’amys. (security from friends)

Under Napoleon 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 the First French Empire, then replaced the royal fleurs de lys.

In 1949, Angers received the 1939–1945 War Cross and since then, the decoration is sometimes placed between the two fleurs de lys.

Angers also had several mottos through its history:

• During Antiquity: Assiuis conciliis (or consiliis);
• From 1434 to 1480 (reign of René of Anjou): D’ardent désir;
• In 1499: Antique clef de France;
• Until June 1987: Angers, la qualité.

Prehistory and Antiquity

A model of a sword from the Age of Bronze discovered in the 2000's in the Maine riverbed

The first sign of human presence in Angers dates back to 400,000 BC. Vestiges from the Neolithic are more abundant and include numerous polished stone axes. Burials from 4,500/3,500 BC were also discovered in the actual castle grounds.

During the 5th century, the Andecavi, a Celtic people, settles north of the Loire. By the end of the Age of Iron, Angers is a relatively densely populated oppidum. The name Juliomagus, might it be more ancient, is not attested before the 3rd century AD. The Roman town consisted of many villas, baths and had an amphitheatre as well as a temple dedicated to Mithra.

Successive Germanic invasions in 275 and 276 forced the inhabitants to move on the highest point of their city and to build a wall around a small area of around 9 hectares.

Middle Ages

The castle, seat of the Plantagenêt dynasty

Angers gets its first bishop in 372, during the election of Martin of Tours. The first abbey, Saint-Aubin, is built during the 7th century to house the sarcophagus of Saint Albinius. Saint-Serge abbey is founded by the Merovingian kings Clovis II and Theuderic III a century later. In 2008, ten sarcophagi were discovered where Saint-Morille church once stood during the tramway construction.

From the 850s, Angers suffers from its situation on the border with Brittany and Normandy. In September 851, Charles the Bald and Erispoe, a Breton chief, meet in the town to sign the Treaty of Angers, which secures the Breton independance and fixes the borders of Brittany. However, the situation remains dangerous for Angers, and Charles the Bald creates in 853 a wide buffer zone around Brittany comprising parts of Anjou, Touraine, Maine and Sées, which is ruled by Robert the Strong, a great-grandfather of Hugh Capet.

In 870, the Viking chief Hastein seizes Angers where he settles, but quickly surrounds after a siege. He takes again control of the town in 873, before being ousted by the Carolingian Emperor.

The Hospice Saint-Jean, founded by Henry II Plantagenêt

Fulk I of Anjou, a Carolingian descendant, is, first, viscount of Angers (before 898 until 830) and of Tours (898-909), and count of Nantes (909-919). Around 929, he takes the title of count of Angers and founds the first Anjou dynasty.

During the 12th century, after internal divisions in Brittany, the county of Nantes is annexed by Anjou. Henry II Plantagenêt keeps it for more than 30 years. At the same time, he also rules the vast Angevin Empire, which stretched from the Pyrenees to Ireland. The [[Château d'Angers|castle in Angers]] is then the seat of the Court and the dynasty. The Empire disappeared in 1204-1205 when the the King of France, Philip II, seized Normandy and Anjou.

Henceforth a part of the Kingdom of France, Angers becomes the "Clé du Royaume" (Key to the Kingdom) facing independent Brittany. In 1228, during Louis IX's minority, Blanche of Castile decides to fortify the city and to rebuild the castle. Later, during the 1350s and 1360s, the schools of Law, Medicine and Theology, renowned in the whole Europe, are organised in a University. In 1373, Louis I of Naples and Anjou orders the six tapestries illustrating the Apocalypse of St John known today as the Apocalypse Tapestry.

Renaissance

René of Naples and Anjou, nicknamed Good King René, and his second wife, Jeanne de Laval

Le roi René d'Anjou contributed to the economic revival in a city that had been diminished by the Black Death (1347-1350) and the Hundred Years War (1337-1453). A man of great culture and generosity, René transformed Angers into a cultural and politic centre and held there a brilliant Court. He transformed the castle moat into a menagerie and built several gardens. He also founded in Angers a new Ordre du Croissant which was supposed to compete with the Order of the Golden Fleece, created several years before.

In 1474, Louis XI of France, who wants to seize Anjou, comes to Angers with his army, asking for the keys of the city. René, then 65 years old, doesn't want to lead a war against his nephew and surrender his domains without any fight. Thus, Anjou ceased to be an appanage and felt definitely into the Royal domain. After his dead, René is buried in 1480 in Saint-Maurice Cathedral.

The Logis Barrault, where the Edict of Nantes was prepared

In 1551, Angers becomes the seat of a bailiwick and the présidial of a jurisdiction, a position the city keeps until 1790. At the same time, with the growth of Protestantism in France, a Catholic is placed at the head of the city and its castle while the bourgeoisie forms a Catholic militia to protect Angers from the Huguenots. The bishop, Gabriel Bouvery, organises on his side an "Angevine League".

When the news of St. Bartholomew's Day massacre arrive in Angers, a new massacre is organised in the city. The bodies of killed Protestants are thrown in the Mayenne. It is the aldermen who stop the slaughter.

In 1598, the Edict of Nantes is prepared in Angers by Henri IV. From the 6th of March until the 2th of April, Angers is de facto the capital of France and the King tries by all means to satisfy the Catholics of the city, for example by founding the new Couvent des Capucins.

Population

Historical population

Year	Pop.	±%
1793	33,900	—
1821	29,873	−11.9%
1841	39,884	+33.5%
1861	51,797	+29.9%
1881	68,049	+31.4%
1901	82,398	+21.1%
1921	86,260	+4.7%
1946	94,408	+9.4%
1962	115,252	+22.1%
1975	137,591	+19.4%
1990	141,404	+2.8%
2009	147,305	+4.2%
Source:Base Cassini from EHESS for figures until 1962

In 2009, Angers had 147,305 inhabitants, 0.3% less than ten years before. It is the 18th most populated commune in France and it reached its maximum population in 2006, with 152,337 inhabitants. Censuses are conduced since 1793.

In 2009, the urban area, which encompasses Angers plus nine surrounding communes (188.6 km² in total), had 215,132 inhabitants. The metropolitan area was on its side encompassing in 2009 133 communes, 394,710 inhabitants and 2,353.8 km². The Angers Loire Métropole, an economic and political association of communes, gathers 33 communes and around 272,000 inhabitants.

The population of Angers is relatively young, 48% of the population being younger than 30 and the rate of people over 60 years old (18.9%) being lower than both the national (22.1%) and departemental (21.4%) rates. This is partially explained by the presence of the University, 21.3% of the population being pupils and students in 2009.

Main sights

In addition to the massive Château d'Angers, the city is also noted for the impressive twin spires of the twelfth-century Cathedral of Saint-Maurice. Other noteworthy churches around Angers include St. Serge, an abbey-church of the 12th and 15th centuries, and the twelfth-century La Trinité Cathedral.

The elaborately sculptured eleventh and 12th century arcades of the famous abbey of Saint Aubin survive in the courtyard of the Prefecture and Hotel du Departementcode: fra promoted to code: fr . The tower of the abbey church has also survived nearby

Ruins of the old churches of Toussaint (13th century) and Notre-Dame du Ronceray (eleventh century) are also nearby. The ancient hospital of St. Jean (twelfth century) is occupied by Jean Lurcat's tapestries. The Logis Barrault, a mansion built in 1486–92, houses the Musée des Beaux-Arts, which has a large collection of paintings and sculptures. In 1984 the former abbey church of Toussaint became the Musee David d'Angers consisting of works by the sculptor David d'Angers, who was a native of the town. In the middle of a main boulevard near the museum stands his bronze statue of René of Anjou, who was born in the chateau of Angers.

The Hôtel de Pincé or d'Anjou (1523–1530) is the finest of the stone mansions of Angers. There are also many curious wooden houses of the fifteenth and 16th centuries. The Palais de Justice, the Catholic Institute, a fine theatre, and a hospital with 1500 beds are the more remarkable of the modern buildings of the town. Angers is the seat of a bishopric, dating from the 3rd century; a prefecture; a court of appeal; and a court of assizes (criminal courts). It has a tribunal of first instance, a tribunal of commerce, a board of trade-arbitrators, a chamber of commerce, a branch of the Bank of France, and several learned societies.

Economy

The early prosperity of the town is largely due to the nearby quarries of slate, whose abundant use for the roofs of Angers led to the city's nickname, the "Black City" (or "La ville noire", in French). As of 1911, existing industries noted in the Encyclopædia Britannica for that year included the distillation of liqueurs from fruit (Cointreau, a brand of triple sec orange liqueur, is produced to this day in Saint-Barthélemy-d'Anjou, a suburb of Angers); cable, rope, and thread-making; the manufacture of boots, shoes, umbrellas, and parasols; weaving of sail-cloth and fabrics; machine construction; wire-drawing; and the manufacture of sparkling wines and preserved fruits. The chief articles of commerce, besides slate and manufactured goods, were hemp, early vegetables, fruit, flowers, and live-stock.

Many of these industries in 1911 have since disappeared, though Cointreau continues to produce liqueur. Other contemporary industries include the manufacturing of lorries (Scania) and computers (Bull, Packard-Bell, NEC) as well as research in horticulture and biotechnologies.

Transport

A tramway approaching "Les Gares" stop

Angers is situated on the crossroads of three highways, the A11, to Paris and Nantes, the A87 to La Roche-sur-Yon and the A85 to Tours and Lyon. National roads connect the city with Rennes, Caen and Laval.

Before the construction of bypasses during the 2000's, the A11 was crossing the city centre, following the river Maine and passing just down the castle. Occasionning air pollution, noise and disfiguring the Maine quays, the portion of former highway, still in place, should be redeveloped in the following years.

In 1850 a catastrophic failure of the Angers Bridge caused the deaths of over 200 soldiers. The disaster inhibited the construction of suspension bridges in France for two decades.

Angers inaugurated a new tramway system on 25 June 2011. The tramway 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 centre and the train station. Service is provided by Keolis using 17 Alstom Citadis trams. The system uses partial ground-level power supply, which avoids aerial wires and preserve the historical character of the city centre. A second line is scheduled for 2018-2022. The public transportation company, Trigo, which operates the tram, also organises the bus network composed of 13 urban lines and 12 suburban lines.

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 Nantes-Paris and Nantes-Lyon railways. The city has several train stations, all first built in the 19th century. Some are still in use, others are closed or reserved for the freight. The main station, Angers Saint-Laud, is on a TGV line and has a direct TGV service to Paris (1 hour 30 minutes), Lyon (3 hours 45 minutes), Strasbourg (4 hours 35 minutes), Lille (3 hours 25 minutes) as well as Avignon, Marseilles and Montpellier. Regional trains go to Cholet, Saumur, Tours, Blois, Nevers or Bourges.

The nearest airport is Angers - Loire Airport, which replaced in 1998 an older infrastructure near the Saint-Aubin island. The Angers - Loire Airport is located on the commune of Marcé, 20 km from Angers and close to the A11 and the A85. It can receive 50,000 passengers per year.

Culture

Maison d'Adam, Adam's House, the oldest house of Angers

Angers has an orchestra, ONPL (Orchestre National des Pays de la Loire), shared with Nantes, a local theatre NTA (Nouveau Théatre d'Angers) and a dance school CNDC (Centre National de Danse Contemporaine).

Angers has a few important museums on the national level:

• "Musée des Beaux-Arts" (Art & Sculpture, the permanent collections: 14th to the present) has just reopened, after five years of work.
• "Galerie David d'Angers", which is consecrated to the 19th century sculptor David d'Angers.
• "Musée Pincé", which holds a collection of Classical art, as well as Egyptian, Etruscan, Japanese and Chinese.
• "Musée Jean Lurçat et de la Tapisserie contemporaine", is a tapestry museum. The famous tapestry series "Le chant du Monde" by Jean Lurçat is in the ancient Hôpital St-Jean, the oldest hospital in France, while another modern building holds the contemporary collections, and also other works by Jean Lurçat.
• The Apocalypse Tapestry, or "the tapestries of the Apocalypse", originally made for Louis I d'Anjou in the fourteenth century, are today in the Château d'Angers after their restoration.
• Muséum d’histoire naturelle d’Angers is an important natural history museum in the "Hôtel Demarie-Valentin", dating from 1521.

Angers is an important center for tapestries, especially contemporary tapestry.

It calls itself the "most flowered city in Europe", and its displays of live and cut flowers are stunning. The city's Jardin des Plantes d'Angers and Jardin botanique de la Faculté de Pharmacie d'Angers are a historic botanical gardens, and its Arboretum Gaston Allard is a major arboretum. It is also well known for being the seat of important cultural events, such as the film festival Premiers Plans, Tour de Scènes (free concerts in the streets) and Les Accroche-Coeurs (free street festival).

Sport

Angers has many sport teams playing at top levels:

• Angers SCO is Angers's football team. The club was created in 1919. In 2010–11 season, Angers SCO is playing in the Ligue 2 (second division) league.
• Les Ducs d'Angers is Angers's ice hockey team. The club is playing in the Magnus League (first division).
• Anjou BC is Angers's basketball team, playing in second division.
• Angers acts as home to the Angers Aviron Nautique (In French), a rowing club which actively competes in regattas across France

Education

Colleges and universities

Angers on the banks of the Maine

A centre of learning, Angers boasts two renowned universities and several specialized institutions, altogether responsible for more than 26,000 students. The city has a Catholic university, the Université Catholique de L'Ouest (Catholic University of the West, or UCO), one of five Catholic universities in France. UCO is best known for its French language studies institute, the Centre international d'étude de la langue française (CIDEF), which provides college students from around the world with college-level course instruction in the French language. The town is also home to a state university, the University of Angers.

Angers's other educational institutions include lycées; training colleges, an engineering school in manufacturing (ENSAM), an engineering school in electronics and computer science (ESEO), and a school of fine art. Its education and research institutes are the driving force behind the city's science and technology industries.

Angers's Business School is ESSCA (Ecole Superieure des Sciences Commerciales d'Angers). Formerly part of the UCO, the school's Masters program is of a duration of five years. ESSCA is recruiting students after the Baccalaureat.

In addition to French schools and universities, an American university St. Edward's University has new expanding campus in Angers. St. Edward’s University is a diverse, Catholic liberal arts institution from Austin, TX. The university has a partnership with UCO, and offers a variety of courses of undergraduate level and professional training.

Public libraries

The city operates the Toussaint Main Library and nine branch libraries.

Miscellaneous

Births

The city is the birthplace of:

• René I of Naples (1409–1480)
• Jean Bodin (1529–1596), philosopher and jurist, author of Six Livres de la République
• Michel Eugène Chevreul, (1786–1889), chemist
• Joseph Louis Proust, (1754–1826), chemist responsible for "Proust's law"
• Pierre-Jean David d'Angers, (1788–1856), sculptor
• Prosper Ménière (1799–1862), physician
• Édouard Cointreau, (1849–1923), creator of the "Cointreau" orange-flavoured liquor
• René Bazin (1853–1932), writer and educator
• Fernand Charron (1866–1921), one of the first cars constructors (Octave Mirbeau dedicated to Charron La 628-E8, 1907).
• André Bazin (1918–1958), critic of the French New Wave
• Hervé Bazin (1911–1996), writer
• Henri Dutilleux (born 1916), composer
• Joseph Wresinski (born 1917), humanitarian activist
• Paul Poupard (born 1930), Roman Catholic cardinal
• Jacques Loussier (born 1934), composer and jazz pianist
• Francis Le Jau, (1665–1717), Anglican missionary to West Indies and South Carolina, worked for the humane treatment of slaves.
• Nicolas Mahut (born 1982), tennis player
• Juliana Mialoundama, basketball player
• Eriq Ebouaney (Born 1967), actor

International relations

See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in France

Twin towns – sister cities

Angers is twinned with:

• Haarlem, Netherlands, since 1964
• Osnabrück, Germany, since 1964
• Bamako, Mali, since 1974
• Pisa, Italy, since 1982
• Wigan, United Kingdom, since 1988
• Södertälje, Sweden, since 1998
• Seville, Spain, since 2000
• Yantai, China, since 2006
• Austin, Texas, USA, since 2011

See also

• Timeline of deportations of French Jews to death camps

References

• This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. {{cite encyclopedia}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)

External links

• Official website
• Official website Template:Fr icon
• Angers Info
• University of Angers Template:Fr icon
• ESSCA
• Angers SCO Official Website
• The official website of Angers Tourist Information Centre
• “A Visit to the Slate Quarries of Angers,” France, article from the Scientific American – Supplement No. 974, Munn & Co., New York, 1894, on Stone Quarries and Beyond.