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Angers: Château d'Angers entrance Ticket
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The castle of Angers enchants visitors with its imposing mediaeval fortress: it consists of 17 towers 50 metres high and made of white stone and slate, forming a banded effect with horizontally alternating colours. The castle boasts 660 metres of massive walls and houses the residence of the Dukes of Anjou.
Especially striking is the contrast between the almost military austerity of the outer defensive fortress, which miraculously escaped the bombings of World War II, and the elegance of the Renaissance residence and gardens inside.
Built in the 13th century by Blanche de Castille, regent of France, to suppress the revolt of the Dukes of Brittany and repel the English invaders, the castle of Angers stands out from the others because of its compact fortress, the most powerful in the kingdom at the time.
The stone armour and monumental towers of this imposing military structure testify to the power of the King of France in those times of war. Behind the austere wall, once you have crossed the drawbridge, you will discover the pleasant residence of the Dukes of Anjou, its superb medieval garden with medicinal plants and, of course, the castle’s main attraction: the Apocalypse tapestry, over 100 metres long.
The Château d’Angers houses the oldest and longest medieval tapestry in the world: the Apocalypse Tapestry. This priceless treasure has defied the centuries and in its 104 metres, it tells us the Apocalypse according to Saint John . Commissioned in the late 14th century by Duke Louis I of Anjou, the tapestry is a sumptuous masterpiece of medieval art, a formidable document on the historical, social and political context of the late 14th century.
It took almost 7 years of work to create the 140 metres of this incredible tapestry: the canvas is spread over six pieces of approximately 4.50 metres in height, each consisting of a large introductory character and fourteen scenes. It originally covered a total area of 850 square metres .
Painstakingly kept in boxes, displayed only on rare occasions such as royal weddings, the tapestry suffered considerable damage during the Age of Enlightenment, when it was cut up for use in hangings and as a horse cloth. It was only in the mid-19th century that the work was restored and classified as a historical monument. The Château d’Angers had to create a ‘custom-made’ gallery to display this precious treasure, which it guards with great care and through sophisticated conservation techniques.
King René bequeathed Angers his passion for botany: in fact, the château reflects the spirit of the sovereign, who modelled the estate’s courtyards according to his refined and elegant taste.
The château was adorned with various gardens: it is dotted with rose gardens, a magnificent collection of hydrangeas and broom, a kitchen garden and a centuries-old vineyard. The hanging garden on the heights of the ramparts is composed of geometrically shaped flowerbeds: it is home to aromatic and medicinal plants that come together in a joyful mix of shapes and colours.
Unfortunately, little remains of the original buildings within the walls. The royal flats underwent heavy alterations during the French Revolution, when they were used as a prison and ammunition depot. Furthermore, as a result of bombing during the Second World War, the interiors were heavily damaged: the chapel vault collapsed, the roofs were torn off and the Royal Residence set on fire.
Today, the castelletto, a stately and elegant asymmetrical construction, can be visited. Adorned with corner turrets with conical roofs and buttresses with grated gables, this building served as a preamble to the entrance to the main castle building.
The chapel was commissioned and built between 1405 and 1413 by Iolanda of Aragon, wife of Louis II of Anjou. Inside, it boasts a single nave with an Angevin-style vault and a choir enriched with stained glass windows.
The royal residence, built by Louis II of Anjou and completed by King René in 1450, houses tapestries in mille-fleurs, the medieval style characterised by a background of small plants and flowers. Unfortunately, the building has suffered extensive damage throughout history and today, all that remains of the Great Hall where the king once received his throne is the façade with windows, the entrance and a large fireplace.
Angers Castle is open every day of the year, except 1 January, 1 May and 25 December. Last admission is 45 minutes before closing time.
Admission is free for children under 18 years of age.
Every Saturday evening in July and August, the city lights up to tell its story: through a sound and light show, the most important monuments, including the mighty castle walls, come to life and enchant visitors. It may therefore be interesting to sleep near the castle to witness this wonderful evening spectacle.
The town boasts a really rich and varied panorama of hotels: you will have maximum freedom of choice according to your needs.
The small town of Angers is located about 300 km from Paris and 90 km from Nantes, the capital of the Loire-Atlantique and Loire countries.
Many tourists decide to combine a visit to Paris with a shorter stay in the Loire Valley, as the distances to the main castles are quite short.
Those who choose to travel independently with their own or rented cars in the French capital will have to follow the A11 motorway via Le Mans . This is almost 300 km for a journey of about 3 hours.
There are three train connections per day starting from Paris, Montparnasse station: the journey, by TGV train, takes about 1½ hours.
Alternatively, starting from Tours, seven trains a day make the connection in 1 hour. The Angers train station, at place de la Gare, is a short walk from the castle.
The lively town of Nantes is very close to Angers. Those arriving from a trip to Brittany can extend their stay by going as far as Angers Castle.
In about 1 hour, with a 90 km drive, you can quickly reach Angers by following the A11 motorway.
Alternatively, you could decide to arrive in Angers by train: the fast TGVs connect the two cities in just 35 minutes.
What's the weather at Angers Castle? Below are the temperatures and the weather forecast at Angers Castle for the next few days.
The Château de Angers overlooks the River Maine, on the edge of the historical centre of the town of the same name. Angers is only 90 km from Nantes and 300 km from Paris.
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