WHAT TO SEE & DO
Overview Table
| Name | Appeal | Type | Visit | Cost | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Angers Castle & Tapestry | ✦✦✦✦✧ | Castle + Tapestry | Self | Paid € |
| 2 | Terra Botanica | ✦✦✦✧✧ | Nature Theme Park | Self | Paid € |
| 3 | City Center | ✦✦✧✧✧ | City Center | Self | Free |
| 4 | David Gallery | ✦✦✧✧✧ | Museum - Sculpture | Self | Paid € |
| 5 | Fine Arts Museum | ✦✦✧✧✧ | Museum - Art | Self | Free |
| 6 | Arboretum Garden | ✦✦✧✧✧ | Garden | Self | Free |
| 7 | Angers Cathedral | ✦✦✧✧✧ | Cathedral | Self | Free |
| 8 | Notre-Dame Church | ✦✦✧✧✧ | Church | Self | Free |
| 9 | Food Court & Market | ✦✦✧✧✧ | Food Court & Market | Self | Free |
| 10 | Food Markets | ✦✦✧✧✧ | Food Markets | Self | Free |
| 11 | Jardin du Mail | ✦✧✧✧✧ | Park | Self | Free |
| 12 | Jardin des Plantes | ✦✧✧✧✧ | Park | Self | Free |
| 13 | Botanical Garden University | ✦✧✧✧✧ | Garden | Self | Free |
| 14 | Lurçat Museum | ✦✧✧✧✧ | Museum - Tapestry | Self | Paid € |
| 15 | St. Martin Church | ✦✧✧✧✧ | Church + Museum | Self | Paid € |
| 16 | Viewpoint | ✦✧✧✧✧ | Panorama | Self | Free |
| 17 | St. Aubin Tower | ✦✧✧✧✧ | Tower + Gallery | Self | Free |
| 18 | AAA Gallery | ✦✧✧✧✧ | Art Gallery | Self | Free |
| 19 | Pincé Museum | ✦✧✧✧✧ | Museum - Antique Art | Self | Paid € |
| 20 | Natural History Museum | ✦✧✧✧✧ | Museum - Nat. History | Self | Paid € |
| 21 | Military Engineering Museum | ✦✧✧✧✧ | Museum - Military | Self | Free |
| 22 | Slate Museum | ✦✧✧✧✧ | Museum - Slate | Self | Paid € |
| 23 | Bon Pasteur Museum | ✦✧✧✧✧ | Museum - Religious | Self | Free |
| 24 | Tourist Train | ✦✧✧✧✧ | Tourist Train | Tour | Paid € |
1. Angers Castle & Tapestry
Appeal ✦✦✦✦✧
Type Castle + Tapestry + Gardens + Panoramas
Visit Self-guided
Cost Paid
⚙️ Hours & Prices (Official Website)
Castle & Gardens + Panoramas
French Name
Château d’Angers
The construction of Angers Castle, a formidable medieval fortress, began in the 9th century. It stands proudly on the banks of the Maine River.
The castle’s 17 massive towers offer panoramic views of Angers and the surrounding landscape.
Inside the enclosure, there is a French-style garden and a chapel.
🏞️ Google Images Overview – Exterior
🏞️ Google Images Overview – Interior
🏞️ Google Images Overview – Gardens
Tapestry
French Names
Tenture de l’Apocalypse
Tapisseries de l’Apocalypse
The castle also houses the Apocalypse Tapestry, a unique masterpiece of medieval art created in the 14th century, which is a breathtaking series of woven panels depicting the Apocalypse from the Book of Revelation.
2. Terra Botanica
Appeal ✦✦✦✧✧
Type Nature Theme Park
Visit Self-guided
Cost Paid
French Name
Terra Botanica
Terra Botanica is an expansive nature theme park dedicated to the plant kingdom. It combines botanical exhibits with interactive attractions and educational displays.
Opened in 2010, Terra Botanica is the first park in Europe devoted to plants. It was established to highlight the biodiversity and horticultural heritage of the Pays de la Loire region.
The park features a wide array of themed gardens. Interactive exhibits such as the “4D Adventure” and “Hot Air Balloon Ride Cable” offer unique experiences.
3. City Center
Appeal ✦✦✧✧✧
Type City Center
Visit Self-guided
Cost Free
French Names
Centre-Ville
Vieille Ville
Vieux Angers
Vieil Angers
The City Center of Angers is a charming area filled with historical buildings.
The main square, Place du Ralliement, is surrounded by beautiful 19th-century architecture. The bustling shopping streets offer a mix of high-end boutiques and traditional markets. The pedestrian-friendly streets are adorned with historical landmarks such as the 16th-century Maison d’Adam in Place St. Croix Square.
4. David Gallery
Appeal ✦✦✧✧✧
Type Sculpture Museum
Visit Self-guided
Cost Paid
French Name
Galerie David d’Angers
The Galerie David d’Angers is situated in the historic 11th-century Toussaint Abbey, now transformed into a museum. This space houses a comprehensive collection of works by Pierre-Jean David, known as David d’Angers, a renowned 19th-century sculptor.
🏞️ Google Images Overview – Interior
5. Fine Arts Museum
Appeal ✦✦✧✧✧
Type Art Museum
Visit Self-guided
Cost Paid
French Name
Musée des Beaux Arts
The Fine Arts Museum in Angers houses a diverse collection of paintings, sculptures, and decorative arts from the Middle Ages to contemporary art.
It is located in a historic mansion, the Logis Barrault.
🏞️ Google Images Overview – Interior
6. Arboretum Garden
Appeal ✦✦✧✧✧
Type Garden
Visit Self-guided
Cost Free
French Name
Arboterum Gaston Allard
The arboretum, founded in the 19th century, highlights the horticultural heritage of the region. It showcases botany, horticulture, ecology, and the art of gardening. Visitors can explore the arboretum through four gardens: the Shade Garden, the Trial Garden, the Garden of the Five Senses, and the Biotope Garden.
7. Angers Cathedral
Appeal ✦✦✧✧✧
Type Cathedral
Visit Self-guided
Cost Free
French Name
Cathédrale Saint-Maurice
The cathedral construction began in the 12th century and continued over several centuries. Its twin towers dominate the skyline of Angers and its interior is adorned with stained glass windows.
🏞️ Google Images Overview – Exterior
🏞️ Google Images Overview – Interior
8. Notre-Dame Church
Appeal ✦✦✧✧✧
Type Church
Visit Self-guided
Cost Free
French Name
Église Notre-Dame des Victoires
Notre-Dame des Victoires Church was constructed in the 19th century featuring Neo-Romanesque and Neo-Byzantine styles.
🏞️ Google Images Overview – Exterior
9. Food Court & Market
Appeal ✦✦✧✧✧
Type Food Court & Market
Visit Self-guided
Cost Free
French Names
Les Halles
Les Halles Coeur de Maine
Les Halles Biltoki
A bustling hall that combines a food market and a food court, offering a wide range of products.
10. Food Markets
Appeal ✦✦✧✧✧
Type Outdoor Food Markets
Visit Self-guided
Cost Free
Angers has several food markets.
French Name
Grand Marché du Centre-Ville
The main one takes place on Saturday mornings at Place Leclerc Square.
⚙️ Hours (Tourism Office Website)
French Name
Marché La Fayette
The second main one is held on Wednesday and Saturday mornings at Place Lafayette Square.
11. Jardin du Mail
Appeal ✦✧✧✧✧
Type Park
Visit Self-guided
Cost Free
French Name
Jardin du Mail
A beautifully landscaped public park in the heart of Angers, featuring fountains, statues, and colorful flowerbeds.
12. Jardin des Plantes
Appeal ✦✧✧✧✧
Type Park
Visit Self-guided
Cost Free
French Name
Jardin des Plantes
A historic botanical garden with a rich collection of plants, trees, and themed sections. It includes a picturesque pond and greenhouses.
13. Botanical Garden University
Appeal ✦✧✧✧✧
Type Garden
Visit Self-guided
Cost Free
French Name
Jardin Botanique de la Faculté de Pharmacie
This small botanical garden, dating back to the late 19th century, is managed by the Faculty of Pharmacy.
14. Lurçat Museum
Appeal ✦✧✧✧✧
Type Tapestry Museum
Visit Self-guided
Cost Paid
French Name
Musée Jean-Lurçat et de la Tapisserie Contemporaine
Dedicated to the works of 20th-century contemporary artist Jean Lurçat, famous for his tapestries.
The museum is housed in the 12th-century St. John’s Hospital and also has a small garden.
🏞️ Google Images Overview – Interior
15. St. Martin Church
Appeal ✦✧✧✧✧
Type Church + Museum
Visit Self-guided
Cost Paid
French Names
Collégiale Saint-Martin
Église Saint-Martin
St. Martin Church is a historic church dating back to the 10th century, featuring Romanesque architecture that replaced the ruins of older churches.
It now functions as a museum, with exhibitions that feature religious artifacts and historical displays.
🏞️ Google Images Overview – Exterior
🏞️ Google Images Overview – Interior
16. Viewpoint
Appeal ✦✧✧✧✧
Type Panorama
Visit Self-guided
Cost Free
French Name
Promenade du Bout du Monde
Just next to Angers Castle, at the end of the alley Promenade du Bout du Monde, is a vista point offering a panorama over part of the city and the Maine River.
The view is similar to the one from the castle.
17. St. Aubin Tower
Appeal ✦✧✧✧✧
Type Tower + Art Gallery
Visit Self-guided
Cost Free
French Names
Tour Saint-Aubin
Abbaye Saint-Aubin
St. Aubin Tower is a historic structure from an old abbey. It now functions as a gallery space showcasing different styles.
🏞️ Google Images Overview – Exterior
18. AAA Gallery
Appeal ✦✧✧✧✧
Type Contemporary Art Gallery
Visit Self-guided
Cost Free
French Name
Galerie d’Art AAA
The AAA Gallery is a small gallery housed in a former 19th century chapel. It showcases contemporary art in an historical setting.
19. Pincé Museum
Appeal ✦✧✧✧✧
Type Antique Art Museum
Visit Self-guided
Cost Paid
French Names
Musée Pincé
Logis Pincé
A museum showcasing an eclectic collection of artifacts, including ancient Egyptian, Greek, and Roman antiquities.
It’s housed in a Renaissance mansion named Logis Pincé.
🏞️ Google Images Overview – Interior
20. Natural History Museum
Appeal ✦✧✧✧✧
Type Natural History Museum
Visit Self-guided
Cost Paid
French Name
Muséum des Sciences Naturelles
The Natural History Museum of Angers is an institution dedicated to the study and exhibition of the natural world. The museum houses an impressive collection of thousands of objects, including fossils, shells, minerals, and taxidermied animals.
🏞️ Google Images Overview – Interior
21. Military Engineering Museum
Appeal ✦✧✧✧✧
Type Military Museum
Visit Self-guided
Cost Free
French Name
Musée du Génie
Dedicated to the history of military engineering and fortifications, featuring models, artifacts, and historical documents. The museum offers a detailed look at the evolution of military technology and strategies. It is located in a former military facility.
🏞️ Google Images Overview – Interior
22. Slate Museum
Appeal ✦✧✧✧✧
Type Slate Museum
Visit Self-guided
Cost Paid
French Names
Musée de l’Ardoise
Musée de l’Ardoise de Trélazé
The museum focuses on the history and techniques of slate quarrying in the region. Visitors can learn about the industry’s impact on local communities and explore exhibits on mining tools and methods.
🏞️ Google Images Overview – Interior
23. Bon Pasteur Museum
Appeal ✦✧✧✧✧
Type Religious Museum
Visit Self-guided
Cost Free
French Name
Musée du Bon Pasteur
Highlights the life and work of Blessed Marie-Euphrasie Pelletier, founder of the Good Shepherd Sisters. The museum is set in the original convent and includes personal artifacts, documents, and exhibits on the congregation’s global mission.
🏞️ Google Images Overview – Interior
24. Tourist Train
Appeal ✦✧✧✧✧
Type Tourist Train
Visit Tour
Cost Paid
French Name
Le Petit Train
A tourist train offering audioguided tours of Angers’ main attractions and historic sites for a convenient way to explore the city.
The train itinerary starts at Place Kennedy Squares, next to the tourism office.
OTHER THINGS TO DO IN LOIRE VALLEY
Things to Do in Azay-le-Rideau Village
Things to Do in Candes-Saint-Martin Village
Things to Do in Chenonceaux Village
Things to Do in Cheverny Village
Things to Do in Fontevraud-l’Abbaye Village
Things to Do in Montrésor Village
Things to Do in Montreuil-Bellay Town
Things to Do in Montsoreau Village
