For those preparing to tread the wine trails that surround the city, a visit to the Maison des vins d’Anjou is a good place to start your research.

If you prefer the outdoors to visiting monuments and museums, summer in Angers is a strollers’ paradise and your walks are likely to be animated by free entertainment. From mid-July to mid-August there are free concerts during the Tempo’ Rives Festival in the La Doutre district. If you prefer wheels to heels, opt for the ‘Loire à Vélo’ itinerary that takes you on a 40-km tour of the city. By water, you can take a river shuttle that will whisk you on a mini-cruise to Bouchemaine, the lower Angers valleys and Béhuard.

After all this activity, you are bound to feel peckish and there are plenty of choices. If you want to take some time out and watch the world go by you have a great choice of cafes and creperies. The Place de Ralliement is a good spot to stop for a bite to eat whilst people watching. For waterside dining and contemporary cuisine try ‘Le Favre d’Anne’ where the beauty of the dishes is only surpassed by the views of the river.
And shopping… if all the outdoor activities have left you with enough energy for retail therapy, you can choose from the classic ‘Galeries Lafayette’ to quaint boutiques hidden away down interesting cobbled lanes. There are plenty of places to satisfy your cravings. A must for those looking for classic French chic is Tara Jarmon, the French Canadian designer. And, of course there are the markets: one every day of the week bursting with local produce and hand made local goods.