Days 7-9: Angers, Markets & Old Town

Saturday 7 Sept 2024

Saturday is market day so we set off after breakfast (and after some more rain) with our carry bags to explore the markets. I was very impressed with the vast selection of goods that were for sale: predominantly food stuffs but you could buy clothes or even a bed if you wanted to. Dominique was keen to purchase a range of local delicacies to stock up for the next day or so. Her partner Hamish arrives tomorrow and of course it is Sunday so all the shops will be closed. I enjoyed seeing all the different fruits, vegetables, herbs, fish, cheeses, meats and more – some stalls were clearly very popular as they had very long queues. It was also fun to people-watch: seasoned local women with their shopping trundlers, elderly men with their traditional caps, chic couples, families with children (and a few fur babies). Some were fixed on their shopping missions, others came more to chat.

After lunch we strolled down through town towards the river, stopping for a look at the new permanent covered market space, and at an amazing little shop, Pomme d’Ambre, that sold a fabulous assortment of teas, coffees, peppers, spices, preserves, syrups, and alcohols (just my kind of shop). The owner was so friendly and told us about various special blends (rhubarb caramel tea anyone?) and let us sniff many of them. The word pomander comes from the French pomme d’ambre, meaning amber apple. Pomanders, small balls of perfume carried in a hinged metal case or aromatic spheres prepared with fruits and spices, had a dual purpose. In the seventeenth century they were used to prevent infection and spread of disease as well as being used to cover up unwanted odors.

We cross the river over the Pont de Verdun, the oldest bridge in Angers. In the past there were many shops and houses on the opposite quay but now only a vestige remains of the old Doutre area (that we could see from the castle ramparts). There are great views back towards the castle and the cathedral.

Our next stop is the Museum of Jean-Lurçat and Contemporary Tapestry, located in a medieval historic site, the former St. John’s Hospital. Alongside the main hospital building is an old orphanage building dating from the 17th century, where there is a permanent collection of textile art from the 1950s to the present day all by themselves. The main exhibition is housed within the hospital in the Great Hall for the Sick, a fine example of 12th century Angers-style Gothic architecture. The exhibition is the famous tapestry The Song of the World (Le Chant du Monde), the masterpiece of the famous painter, ceramicist and tapestry creator Jean Lurçat. This tapestry is a modern tribute to the medieval Apocalypse Tapestry that is in the Chateau d’Angers. The Song of the World was woven in Aubusson between 1957 and 1966, and is made up of ten tapestry panels with a total area of 500 m² – the biggest contemporary group of tapestries. The Great Hall also has remains of an apothecary from the 17th and 18th centuries.

Surrounding the old hospital is the medical university and there is a Garden of Medicinal Plants that we intended to visit but discovered it was unfortunately not open at the weekend. We wandered back along the Boulevard along the river enjoying the shade of the magnificent plane trees.

Angers Castle and oldest bridge

Cathedral steps from the river

Lowering mast to sail under bridge

Doutre – old town

Cathedral between the trees

Riverside walk

Modern Tapestries at the old Hospital

The Old Hospital

Modern Tapestries in the Great Hall of Old Hospital

One of the tapestries

Remains of the Hospital Apothecary

Garden of Medicinal Plants

We had hoped to find a place for a drink along the river’s edge but when we couldn’t find anywhere we decided to walk back to the Place du Raillement (town square) where we had our pizza the first night. We eventually managed to get a table (and a drink) on the terrace looking out over the square. The square was absolutely packed as there was a demonstration going on. We are still not sure quite what it was about as there were so many different flags and banners with different messages – but it appeared to be primarily for peace in Palestine. There was a strong police presence but the protest was very mild, and the rest of the population were just carrying on their afternoon around the square without any concern. Many of the protesters rolled up their banners and came for a drink afterwards.

Protest in the main square

Suddenly there was a flash of lightning and big rumble of thunder so we decided it was time to make our way home before the next heavy downpour – we made it back just in time before the deluge. We had a bit of a rest before enjoying our market purchases (and a nice glass of wine) that evening.

Sunday 8 Sept 2024

Today is a rest day. We have a leisurely start and do mundane things like take our rubbish and recycling up to the bins in front of the church (avoiding when people would be arriving for mass), and shop for a few last minute things (in the few places that are open on a Sunday). It is a good opportunity for me to work on my blog posts as I don’t usually have time to do them properly until I return home.

We meet Hamish when he arrives at the train station at 2.oopm as we did a week ago and he is as exhausted as we were. After a bit of a rest we head down to the Place du Raillement (town square) for a beer/cider at our favourite terrace pub where we can watch the world go by. Even though it is Sunday and most things are closed, the three bars/restaurants are full of people and even though there is no protest going on today there are still quite a few people milling around in the square.

In the evening we have a simple meal at home enjoying more of the things that remind Dominique of home. We have a small sweet radishes with baguette and cultured butter (a typical appetiser, rilettes de porc (the best description I can give is a cross between pulled pork and pâté) and a selection of local cheeses, and pâté aux prunes to finish (a typical Angevin pastry with whole plums – Dominique’s grandmother used to bring them every time she visited).

Pâté aux prunes

Monday 9 Sept 2024

We had planned a slow day as Hamish was still feeling jet-lagged but it ended up even slower than expected because most of what we had planned turned out to be closed on Mondays.

We went via the train station to add Hamish’s details to the car rental and then walked down to the river with the intention of visiting the Food Hall for lunch and to buy some things for dinner. Information had said it was open every day but it was closed on Mondays.

So we headed back up town looking for a cafe for lunch and found a delightful little crêperie and sat at a table outside with a jug of cider. Dominique and Hamish had the classic galettes with ham, egg and cheese while I chose one with leeks and scallops. We indulged in dessert crêpes too – mine was apple and caramel, and Dominique and Hamish had a more classic chocolate, icecream and almonds version.

We went home for a siesta and then planned to visit the Slate Mining Museum (where Dominique’s mother had worked) – but discovered it was also closed on Mondays. So we just spent the rest of the day pottering and resting (and indulging in some more local wines and cheeses).