Terry Marsh takes a

Terry Marsh takes a short break to discover the delights of Angers in the Loire valley... I never feel as if I've arrived in France until my first lunch, usually outdoors, in some unpretentious but highly popular eatery where the plat du jour or a simple galette is just what you need. It’s a moment of pleasure, when I realise that I’ve stopped travelling, and have arrived and start to tune my ears from English to French. It's symbolic and I almost don’t care what the plat du jour might be; it’s the transition from home life to the French way of doing things. For me, lunch in France is a benchmark, the starting line; and so it was at the Restaurant du Mail in the glorious Jardin du Mail in Angers. A Vibrant City This buzzing city of more than 150,000 souls is highly regarded as urban friendly, full of fun, lively with festivals and street theatre, and worthy of its accolade as one of the greenest cities in France. It also has a multi-era legacy of stunning architecture; a history that saw it as the pre-Revolution capital of Anjou province, and a modernday trade in Anjou wines and liqueurs, notably Cointreau and Menthe Pastille. Easily accessible from the UK, the city evolved at the confluence of three rivers, the Mayenne, the Sarthe, and the Loir (Le Loir), all coming from the north and flowing south to the Loire (La Loire). The short distance (just 7 miles) between the Loire and the confluence of Le Loir, the Mayenne and the Sarthe, make the Maine river one of the shortest in France. The heart of Angers lies on the south side of the Maine, and here you will find many of the city’s finest monuments and treasures. Angers is remarkably compact, and two pedestrian days will give you a fascinating taste of everything that Angers has to

offer. But three or more days would allow a relaxed and in-depth approach...languid lunches and lazy evenings. It's also an excellent base for touring the area around, close to Blois and the Chateaux of the Loire. Located in the Val de Loire (a World Heritage Site), and the Loire-Anjou- Touraine regional natural park, Angers enjoys a vibrant cultural life, bolstered by its universities and museums. The Old Town The old centre, dating from medieval times, is still dominated by the massive chateau of the Plantagenets, and home of the astounding Apocalypse Tapestry. It is the largest medieval tapestry ensemble in the world.