Wed 4 Sept 2024
After a domestic start to the morning (visiting our favourite Traiteur to get more supplies and getting the washing machine to work) we set out for a drive southeast of Angers.
We headed towards my first glimpse of the Loire River at Les Ponts-de-Cé. This historic village in a UNESCO World Heritage Site is really a chain of small islands, carved by the river. Many parts of the Loire Valley are now protected wetland areas.
Les Ponts du Cé on the Loire River
Loire Valley Protected Wetlands
We then went to the village of St Melaine where Dominique’s parents lived and she grew up – a lot had changed and there wasn’t much of a ‘village’ left. Dominique had also shown me yesterday in Angers where her grandparents lived and the bank where her grandfather worked. It was so nice to get a feel for where she lived and spent her early years. She had also attended the Catholic University in the centre of Angers.
From there we took a very scenic route through the picturesque countryside with lots of woodlands, grapevines and fields of crops. We passed through lots of tiny villages that were mostly dormitory suburbs now with nothing more than houses. There were of course many churches and the odd castle or two scattered around. This did make it very difficult to find somewhere to have lunch as we were off the main tourist route. We often saw elaborate crosses at intersections – to ward off the devil in these dangerous places.
The first villages we passed through (nearer to Angers) were built entirely of slate (bricks are forbidden by building codes). As we travelled further east, closer to the town of Samuar, we start to see the use of tuffeau (limestone/sandstone). Some houses were built entirely of tuffeau – including surrounding walls. Apparently, following the religious wars, Protestants were allowed to settle in Samuar. They were more interested in building and showing wealth than the Catholics, so they used more of the more expensive tuffeau in their houses and other buildings. It is subtle but evident once you become aware of this.
Our last stop of the day was the Notre-Dame de Cunault Abbey church in Gennes. It is linked to a benedictine order founded by Saint Maxenceul, disciple of Saint Martin of Tours (who evangelised the region in the 4th century). A monastery was founded in Cunault by monks escaping Vikings invasions (8th-9th century). Consecrated to the Virgin Mary, Notre-Dame de Cunault is an important pilgrimage site. The 4 bells of the Constantine’s cathedral in Algeria were relocated at the Cunault Abbey at the end of the Algerian War.
Nowadays, the abbey is recognised as a jewel of the roman architecture in Anjou. Built in tuffeau, the church includes the 11th century belfry. The inside of the church is striking with its 223 gigantic gothic angevin style columns that have exceptional carved capitals (dating from the 11th-12th century) with a range of scenes from medieval poems, pilgrimages, war with the Moors of Spain and animals (alluding to vices and virtues). There are still vestiges of bright colours that indicate that it was highly decorated. The abbey is reputed for its acoustics and host regularly musical festivals.
We returned to Angers via the tourist road that is raised up on the top of the dyke alongside the river. The villages here appear much more prosperous and have beautiful views across the sands and wooded islands of the Loire. There is a cycle path down next to the river so that you can bike all along the river without having to deal with traffic. And there are numerous camping sites that were still well populated – not surprising given the beautiful location.
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- Village built on top of dyke
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- Loire River
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- Area we visited
Exploring the Angers Region in France
Day 3: Chateau d’Angers and Historic Quarter
Day 4: Exploring the Loire Valley to Cunault Abbey – this post
Day 5: Troglodyte Village & the Mysteries of Falun
Day 6: Fontevraud Royal Abbey & Chateau du Brézé
Days 7-9: Angers, Markets & Old Town
Day 10: Troglodyte Restaurant & Medicinal Plants
Day 11: Béhaurd Island Village in Loire River
Day 12: Michelin-star Restaurant Degustation Lunch, Angers
Day 13: Day 13: Puy du Fou Historical Theme Park
Day 14: Le Thoureil, Ackerman Winery & Dolmen de Bagneaux
Day 15: Visit to Slate Museum, Trélazé
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