#1 - Angers Tourist Office
The Tourist Office is the starting point for any successful day out in Angers. Head to 7 Place du Président Kennedy for plenty of tips and great ideas. With your Angers City Pass in pocket with its amazing array of great deals and bikes to rent from the Bike Concierge, you will be ready to explore Angers by bike!
#2 - Galerie David d’Angers
Into second gear and off you go. You’ll soon reach the David d’Angers gallery, an annex of the Fine Arts museum. Goethe, Chateaubriand and Georges Washington await you there, or at least their busts do, along with sculptures of other famous people by the French sculptor David d’Angers. Look up high and admire the glass roof and light shaft, stroll amongst impressive sculptures and take in the thousands of little details of each work. A relatively short visit that both art connoisseurs and the simply curious will love.
Visit the David d'Angers Gallery
#3 - Rue du Musée
You absolutely must take this charming cobbled street. A special paved section next to the cobbles makes it suitable for bikes. You will pass beneath a stunning arch alongside the Musée des Beaux-Arts and then come out on Place Saint-Éloi with its magnificent sculpture.
#4 - Rue Saint-Aubin
A few more pedal strokes will bring you to Rue Saint-Aubin, one of the main shopping streets of the city and a heaven for fans of boutiques and labels of all kinds. Stop off for a spot of shopping, a few viennoiseries to go, and coffee in a cosy café in Place Sainte-Croix.
#5 - The Apocalypse by Okuda
On the corner of Boulevard Foch you will see one of Angers’ street art treasures. Standing tall on the wall opposite you is the brightly coloured Apocalypsis, a work by the graffiti artist San Miguel Okuda. This half pop art, half surrealist mural reinterprets the Jean-Lurçat tapestry, which in turn was inspired by the famous Apocalypse Tapestry conserved in Angers Castle. When the Middle Ages meet contemporary art and design, where else could you be than Angers?
#6 - Maison Bleue
And more colour awaits you on this bike tour of the city, like at the Maison Bleue that you will pass by on Boulevard Foch. The building isn’t open to visitors, however its eight-storey façade displays a vast and intricate blue mosaic. Enamels and blue ceramic tiles appear side by side in a distinctively Art Deco composition by Isidore Odorico, a master of the genre.
#7 - Jardin du Mail
The Jardin du Mail gardens make a well-deserved stop, a few metres on. You can’t fail to love the park’s bandstand, the curvy Vénus d’Arles statue (a replica of the original which is in Paris) or the explosion of colour offered by some 20,000 flowers in summer.
#8 - Place du Ralliement
Stomach beginning to rumble? Point your handlebars in the direction of the city centre to find a spot in Place du Ralliement, the beating heart of Angers. With its many cafés, bars and restaurants, there is sure to be a table on a terrace for you. Here you will be able to admire the façade of the Grand Théâtre while savouring your first ever gouline. This emblematic local delicacy takes the form of a pie stuffed with pork belly pieces (known as rillauds in French), mushrooms from Saumur, melted shallots, and a sauce made from local Tomme cheese to top it all off. Sounds delicious doesn’t it? Bon appétit!
#9 - Maison d’Adam
The Maison d’Adam, a few strides from here on Place Sainte-Croix, is a short detour not to be missed. This half-timbered house is a listed historical building and a novel unto itself. You can’t go inside, but make sure you take time to observe the façade where you’ll spot some surprising stone carvings!
#10 - Angers Cathedral
From Place Sainte-Croix, make your way to the entrance of Angers Cathedral overlooking the hill of Saint-Maurice. There is a superb view of the Maine, the Pont de Verdun and the peaceful Doutre district. Take a look inside the cathedral itself, which is a gem of Angevin Gothic-style art. Medieval stained glass, a majestic organ and pointed “ogival” arches form a fascinating architectural dialogue.
#11 - Angers Castle
Continue your visit of the historic centre and the city’s star monument – Angers Castle (expect a few cobbles on your way). Once at the fortress, leave your bike for a moment and soak up the 6,000 years of history standing before you. Take a tour and learn about the illustrious inhabitants of this imposing castle and their love of art and beautiful things, still evident today in the Apocalypse Tapestry commissioned by Louis I of Anjou. Measuring 100 metres long and 4.5 metres high, this invaluable masterpiece is sure to impress visitors both young and old. Since 2023, the Apocalypse Tapestry is inscribed on UNESCO's Memory of the World International Register.
After seeing all of this Medieval cartoon, conclude your royal visit with a nice green stroll in the castle gardens and a walk along the Jean-Turc promenade.
#12 - Jean Lurçat and Contemporary Tapestry Museum
Cross the Maine now towards another of Angers’ most visited sites – the Jean Lurçat and Contemporary Tapestry Museum. The museum houses two separate collections: one classic one in the Hôpital Saint-Jean building including Jean Lurcat’s Chant du Monde, and the other more contemporary, featuring textile creations from the 1930s to today. It’s a feast for the eyes.
#13 - The Doutre district
Angers wouldn’t be Angers without its lovely little Doutre district where the buildings seem to defy time. Don’t miss: Place de la Paix with its mansions and 16th-century houses, the Hôtel des Pénitentes and Place du Tertre with its half-timbered houses.
#14 - Héron Carré
When the afternoon draws to an end, finish your day in style beneath the festoon lights of one Angers’ waterside cafés (known as guinguettes in French). Set your bike down on the Maine riverbank and find a table at the Héron Carré. A live band, a cool drink and a few tapas to snack on will make the perfect finish to your day.
#15 - Pont de Verdun
Make your way back to the town centre by following the Maine and see Angers Castle from another viewpoint. The fortress and its 17 tours are truly majestic from this angle. Cross the old Pont de Verdun bridge and ride slowly back to the Tourist Office.
