Summer makes you want to spend hours sitting on a terrace, putting the world to rights, people watching or just cooling off ! Here's a small selection of the best bars to bask in the sunshine... or the shade !
The coolest bars
Central Angers is bursting with bars and terraces ideal for a break, a romantic evening or quality time with family and friends. There's always somewhere to suit the mood...
Watch the sunset
The bars and restaurants on Place du Ralliement are always busy! The city centre location is packed with sprawling terraces in the perfect spot to watch the world go by until sunset. Another option is Saint-Martin: bask in the last rays of sunshine on the pretty little cobbled square among the greenery and old stones at the Prefecture.
Cool off
Le Boudoir is a good shout when it's hot outside with its little internal courtyard tucked away through a porch on Rue d'Alsace. The terraces at L’Angevigne, Le Cercle Rouge and Une Fille et des Quilles are ideal for sampling local wine in the shade !
Great cocktails
Bars have been serving more exciting cocktails than mainstream mojitos over the last few years. We highly recommend a trip to La Cour in Angers for a quiet drink in the cool and pretty shaded courtyard. The bar at Hotel Saint-Julien on Place du Ralliement also has an original cocktail menu to test out on the terrace overlooking the city centre square.
Pubs
If you want an ice cold beer, make a beeline for the city centre's Donald’s, Joker’s Pub, Le Welsh, Le Garage or Dublin’s! Each one has its regulars and USPs. We love the live music at Joker's and Le Garage, the terrace at Le Welsh and the cool menus at Donald's and Dublin's.
The greenest bars
Escaping the city centre often means hooking up with Mother Nature. A great idea when it's hot outside. Here are some ideas in the skies and great outdoors!
Get a bird's eye view
First up, if you want to touch the clouds and bask in the heady heights, we recommend La Réserve. The bar and restaurant on Le Quai Theatre's rooftop have unobstructed views of the château, cathedral and Maine River: a must at sunset! Le Gupta’s and its fabulous shaded terrace tower over the château moats in the old town on the other side of the Maine. When it's hot outside, some tables allow you to cool your feet off in the water: what a treat!
Soak up the "guinguette" experience
No trip to the area would be complete without visiting the bars on the Loire riverbanks outside Angers. But you don't need to leave the city to have the "guinguette" experience. Make a beeline for Le Héron Carré: it's the place to be when the sun's out between the idyllic Balzac Park and Maine River. Day or night, locals flock here for a drink or live music. But if you fancy some "real" nature, we recommend you cycle or walk a few kilometres along the Maine and Mayenne to the guinguette in Le Port de l’Île: it's well worth the trip and the ferry ride over to the haven of peace.
Cool off by the river
The bars in Cale de la Savatte and Quai des Carmes in La Doutre bring you views of the city and river. Whether it be a morning coffee at La Descente de la Marine with a croissant from the fantastic Boulangerie des Carmes, a pre-dinner glass of wine on the Barco Vino barge or a late-night cocktail at Mamie Fada, you'll find your happy place!
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