to sell it without

to sell it without success. During the French Revolution the Cathedral was ransacked, the tapestry was thrown onto the streets and the locals cut bits off to use as carpets, bedspreads, even horse blankets and cart covers. In 1843 a search for the remnants began and around 60% was recovered - most of it in a local rubbish dump! Opposite the entrance to the castle is the old town of Angers, La Cité - a maze of cobbled streets and beautifully preserved ancient buildings from the 12th century onwards, and well worth a wander though most are private dwellings and can only be glimpsed when their wooden carriage gates are open! Cathedral of St Maurice The Cathedral of St Maurice, built in the 12th and 13th centuries (the one which tried to sell the tapestry) has glorious stained-glass windows dating back almost 900 years, plus a 15th century rose window that’s breathtakingly beautiful. A monumental organ with some 4600 pipes, was being tuned the day I visited, the mournful lament of the notes and the wonderful acoustics are hauntingly unforgettable. A modern stone canopy has recently been erected over the front of the Cathedral to protect the Maison d’Adam magnificent façade - not everyone loves the new addition, but then not everyone loved the Eiffel Tower when it was built. Behind the Cathedral is the Maison d’Adam which has been recently restored and looks as it did 600 years ago, its wooden posts decorated with around 50 carved figures including an apple tree on a corner turret. Adam and Eve, who were also featured, disappeared in the French Revolution. I can’t help thinking that somewhere in this town someone has a room with 15th century wooden figures hanging on the wall overlooking a carpet made of 13 th century tapestry! Galerie David d’Angers Close by is the Fine Arts Museum which has a lovely collection of medieval paintings and Renaissance furnishings. Next to it is the Galerie David d’Angers. Pierre-Jean David d’Angers (1788-1856), commonly known as David d’Angers was called the Michelangelo of Paris by Victor Hugo, and his commissions graced the Chateau of Versailles and towns all over France. A mould of the pediment he created for the Pantheon can be seen in the museum, representing the allegory of the French Revolution, it features men who contributed to the progress of the nation - including a youthful looking Napoleon Bonaparte. The artist gifted a collection to the town in gratitude for the scholarship he received in 1810. The vast display is on show at the former 13th century Toussaint Abbey church which now features a wonderful glass roof that casts light over the monumental work. Moulds of statues that adorn cemeteries and city squares throughout France include an outsize King René and a giant Jean Bart, a popular French pirate, plus busts, medallions and working drawings. It’s an extraordinary museum (and if you go an hour before closing, entry is free). La Doutre Doutre has a country village vibe Often missed by visitors, La Doutre - from d’Outre-Maine, ‘beyond the Maine’ - is the district on the ‘other side of the river’ - easily reached on foot across one of the bridges. Once inhabited by the aristocracy and wealthy bourgeoisie, it fell on hard times Plunging view over the Maine river to Doutre from the St Maurice 103-steps stairway in front of the Cathedral after the French Revolution but is now an affluent area undergoing a regeneration. It has a countryside air to it, tree-lined avenues, green squares, and fine houses - some dating from the 16th century including no. 67 rue de Beaurepaire which once belonged to an apothecary. Here you can open one of the shutters to see the amazingly well-preserved 17th century check carvings. Doutre is home to the former St Jean Hospital, founded by King Henry II of England and Anjou in 1174, now the Lurcat Museum, where “Le Chant du Monde’ (the Song of the World) tapestry by Jean Lurcat is displayed. The artist, visiting Chateau d’Angers in 1938 was inspired by the Apocalypse Tapestry and later created his own contemporary masterpiece, a work of hope and peace against the fear of the atomic bomb. Photo small The old Cointreau distillery Cointreau fans (yes, I am!) will love a tour of the Cointreau factory and museum. Established more than 175 years ago in Angers, Cointreau is one of the world’s most famous crystal-clear spirits. Cointreau’s The old Cointreau distillery 10 | The Good Life France The Good Life France | 11