Angers

commune in Maine-et-Loire, Pays de la Loire, France

Angers is a city in the west of France. Around 160,000 inhabitants live inside the city and 300,000 live in the metropolitan area.

Angers
Coat of arms of Angers
Location of Angers
Map
Angers is located in France
Angers
Angers
Angers is located in Pays de la Loire
Angers
Angers
Coordinates: 47°16′57″N 0°19′53″W / 47.2825°N 0.3315°W / 47.2825; -0.3315
CountryFrance
RegionPays de la Loire
DepartmentMaine-et-Loire
ArrondissementAngers
IntercommunalityCommunauté d'agglomération d'Angers Loire Métropole
Area
1
42.70 km2 (16.49 sq mi)
Population
 (2012)
149,017
 • Density3,500/km2 (9,000/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+01:00 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+02:00 (CEST)
INSEE/Postal code
49007 /49000
Elevation12–64 m (39–210 ft)
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

It is the capital of the historical province called Anjou. Today, the name of Anjou is Maine-et-Loire. The inhabitants of Angers and of Anjou are called 'angevins'.

The city existed before the Roman Empire. After the Roman conquest, the city was called Juliomagus. Angers was an important French city during the Middle-Ages. There is one of the bigger castles of Europe in the city.

It is now the 16th city of France (for its population). It is an economic center, a touristic and cultural town. Many festivals happen every year in the city (film festival 'Premiers plans', street festivals 'Tours de scène' and the famous 'Accroches-coeurs'). It has many museums. The museum of Beaux-Arts (a famous Art museum) and "Apocalypse Tapestry" (the oldest and largest collection of medieval tapestries in the world) are very famous.

There are two universities. More than 17,000 students go to the 'Université d'Angers' (a state university) and 12,000 go to the 'Université Catholique de l'Ouest' (a private catholic university). The 'École supérieure des sciences commerciales d'Angers' is one of the most prestigious business school in France.

Transport

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  • Road: Motorway A11 to Paris ~295 km and to Nantes ~90 km
  • Railway: TGV (very quick train) from Angers-St Laud station to Paris in 92 minutes only
  • International Airports: Angers-Marcé, Nantes-Atlantique

Sister cities

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Angers is twinned with: