Angers New Banks, the Grether scheme could be in the lead

A trend in favor of one of the three architects and urbanists teams preselected by Angers city in order to design a project of reconquest of the Maine banks river is confirmed. A debate in the Development Council, an authority set-up ten years ago with persons coming from different backgrounds of the civil society in order to light up the decisions to take by Angers town councillors, has clearly shown a preference for the Grether team survey.

The issue of the "Angers New Banks", the official name of the project, had yet been displayed during several weeks in January and February in the main hall of Le Quai theatre, near the Maine. The exhibition of the threee projects has clearly pointed out,because of the crowd, the interest of inhabitants for the part the Maine could have in the city during the XXIst century. According to some observers, the Grether design is the most appreciated by the Development council, because it has well integrated the absolute necessity to open alternative ways for the car traffic.

The project plans a huge transformation, due to be implemented in may be twenty years, of the banks (mainly the left). The most dramatic change is the total disappearance of the express way and of its slip roads un underground approaches. That will be replaced by a garden with paths floded with little slate walls. The river itself will be crossed by new bridges designed for pedestrians. A lift will be set up at the bottom of the cliff under the castle. the most innovative part is the redevelopment of little islands along the present Felix Faure bank, which will host gardeners and families.

A month after the former mayor left office, there is still bitterness at the Angers town council

JC Antonini

A month after the resignation of Jean-Claude Antonini, there is always some bitterness inside the majority side of town hall and between the two main candidates to the succession of the former mayor, Frédéric Beatse and Jean-Luc Rotureau. According to some sources well connected to Angers town councillors and departments in charge of different aspects of the town management, the second stays angry about the conditions surrounding Mr Antonini left office while the first recognized officially he was victim of "insults".

Fr. Beatse

That could lead to "primaries" inside the majority side to choose the candidate who will campaign to the office of mayor from 2014 to 2020. But another event, the presidential and legislative elections, could have a negative impact on the relationship inside the majority camp in the municipal council. If the left wins the presidential and the legislative polls in 2012, the credibility of the French left could vanish because of the seriousness of the economic crisis in France and abroad. The negative effects of Angers primaries within the left side could be amplified with the difficulties the French left could face and will hamper its chances to win in Angers.
 

JL Rotureau

So the opposition side could reap the benefits of the situation. For many people, according to the same sources, the resignation of Mr Antonini was a surprise, included for himself who didn't plan to go so rapidly. In fact, Mr Antonini could have been hustled toward the exit by a new generation close to the French Socialist Party who ordered him to leave office.

Angers tries to wean inhabitants from daily tv consumption for a while

Angers city, through its districal houses, has invited a retired Canadian teacher, native of the French speaking province of this country, to awaken the inhabitants, adults and youngs, to the interest of a moderate consumption of tv programs. For the city, the relation between teenagers and tv set is a very important aspect of the education of the young Angers inhabitants.

In fact, tv could play a more important part of the education of the people to the foreign languages apprenticeship. Most of the movies broadcasted on tv programs are in French while, in others countries, like Nordic countries, or the US, teenagers can't see foreign movies translated in their own mother tongue so they must cope with, most of the time, English.

Angers city could be a place quite open-minded to foreign languages especially English. Many ads in the streets are written in English and sometimes, complete sentences are displayed on shops front sides in that language. The Les 400 coups cinema releases foreign movies in English and Angers spectators apparently like that. In fact the tv programs don't always open the minds. With the present presidential campaign, the people are very attracted by their own country. That is absolutely right but France and French aren't alone in the world.

In Angers : inappropriate driving and moral misconduct are on the tracks

If the trolley is a pleasant mode of transport because it looks to slip through the streets, the green ways and the crossroads, its charm comes partly from its ability to pass on very different kinds of ways : surfaces of slates, asphalt, cobblestones and lawns. This last type of urban redevelopment is probably the most harmonious : thanks to the tramway, nature invites itself in Angers town. But this delicate green ribbon is also very vulnerable, and some dishonest drivers should remember of that.

Between the Strasbourg and Jean XXIII stations, a large part of the grassed way has been completly destroyed by unscrupulous persons. The lawn has been totally devastated by tyreprints like scars on a pretty face. Are these inhabitants (?) aware of the time, the know-how, the work, the money necessary to realize those aesthetic, almost artistic, developments. 

Some Angers inhabitants, who live in a city which tries to bet on sustainable growth and nature conservation, but who forget nature is a living material, apparently don't care. Such ruthless behaviour of people contrasts with the town policy made of sustainable disctricts and so... Town hall should recall that solidarity is, first of all, a care for the respect of public goods and apply penalties to individuals having an "inappropriate driving".

A social problem in Atoll construction site lights up the Europeanization of Angers

Sometimes facts without any relation occur at the same time and ligth up each other. One of the companies which got contracts on the construction site of the future commercial complex, Atoll, located near Angers, apparently fired several of its employees, without paying them their wages of January and February and even the cost of the cottage it hired for the lenght of their work. These men are carpenters and they are Polish.

At the same time that news was published by a local media, another was revealed by the same newspaper (Ouest-France) regarding the evolution of the unemployment rate in Angers. According to Pôle Emploi, the public agency in charge of unemployed persons, the rate of jobless has increased by 9% during the last twelve months.

So, several conclusions are possible. One is the scarcity for a local, but important, construction site, of carpenters in the Angers province to do the job. Another is local wages do not compete with wages of Eastern European countries. How, in a region where the rate of unemployment is largely above the French average, is it necessary to recruit workers so far? The managers of the project have promised the fact will not take a toll.

Letter from the editor

Thank you Mr.Fournenterian for your wise comment (below) about the post regarding costs between flights to London from Angers or Tour. May the readers of Adn take advantage of it.
Edgar

The price difference is not as much as it might first appear. Flights to Angers land at London City, pretty much in the centre of London with easy access to tube and rail connections. Although flights from Tours are cheaper, unless a traveller is heading north or to the midlands in England, it will cost them approximately £28 (about €34) for a one-way train ticket into London. On that basis, Angers-London City should be able to compete with the Ryanair route, certainly for angevins.

Letter from the editor

Thank you dearAnonymous for your kind comment. It's really encouraging.
Edgar Girondin

The Angers Anonymous will try to rally tomorrow against the Acta

Credit Wikupedia

The Angers Anonymous have launched a new appeal to demonstrate on February 25th on Ralliement square their opposition to the implementation against the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (Acta). Acta is a multinational treaty about the establishment of an international legal framework for targeting counterfeit goods, genetic medicines and copyright infringement on Internet. It was signed in October 2011 by eight countries and in January 2012, the European Union and 22 countries members signed as well. After approval by 6 countries, the convention will come into force.
 
Supporters have described the agreement as a response to "the increase in global trade of counterfeit goods and pirated copyright protected works". Opponents say the convention adversely effects fundamental rights including freedom of expression and privacy.

This is the third initiative of the Angers Anonymous. Two demonstrations have already took place in January and February, which, apparently, didn't attract a lot of inhabitants. The caracteristic of the Anonymous is they wear a mask. This one comes from the movie "V for Vendetta" and refers to an old English historical character : Guy Fawkes, author of  a failed assasination attempt against the King James I of England (The Gunpowder plot,1605).

Pony Pony Run Run, an Angers English singing band is about to turn out a new album

In spite of their name, they are... Angevins and well known outside of Angers. Pony Pony Run Run is a French power pop band born in that city and formed in Nantes in 2003. After the success of their first record and above the title "Hey you", sold at 40 00 copies, the band is going to turn out a new album. That one was broadcasted by Daily Motion on February 23rd. One of the main charasterics of the ban is its member sing... in English, because they say their musical culture is about 90% Anglo-Saxon.




Pony Pony Run Run was created in Angers by two brothers, Gaëtan et Amaël Réchin Lê Ky-Huong, respectively guitar/vocal and bass. Later they will meet Antonin Pierre, keyboard. The three members are simply named "G" (guitar/vocals), "A" (bass) and "T" (keyboards). The style of the band has been defined by the daily English The Guardian : "Pony Pony Run Run do something simple: they do the synth-pop thing with a French disco tinge and a smidgen of US yacht rock sensibility". 

To date, the group has released one studio album and two singles. Their début album, You Need Pony Pony run Run was released on 8 June 2009. The first song to be taken from the album, "Hey You" was released in September of the same year and reached 8th rank in Belgium, as well as achieving a position of 19th rank in the French singles chart.The band had performed live in 2011 at the famous Jersey Live Festival in August.

The new line Angers London will not take off if its prices don't land

A few days ago, Angers Loire Métropole announced the start of a new flight between Angers and London. That's good news if the prices are competitive. But it's not sure it will be the case. And the high cost from Angers could spell death for the Angers iniatiative. According to the Angers Loire Aéroport web site, the first price of an Angers-London is 78 € for a single one-way ticket with British Airways while it's only 27,99 € for the same trip from Tours with Ryanair. The cost of the highway for going to Tours (gas included) is 24,66 €. An in Tours the car park is free. So the cost of a trip for London from Tours is only 52,65 €, that is 33% less!


In times on economic restrictions for companies or households, the Angers new line could become quickly no competitive. And the Angers Marcé development once again reappraised. Another possibility could to get in touch with a low cost company but this one will look the potential market of Angers. The development of the Tours Loire Valley Airport loks much more important than in Angers airport while the population of the two urban areas are not so different : about 400 000 inhabitants for Tours and 345 000 for Angers.  May be Angers should change the name of its airport : Angers Loire Valley Airport? That sounds pretty good.

The giant Angers commercial complex Atoll will open the first Wednesday of April

Atoll, the new commercial centre of West Angers will open on April the 4th instead of March 21st, day of the spring. The postponement is due to bad weather which slowed down the work. But the opening will still take place on a Wednesday, leisure day for youngs. The complex covers 91 000 square meters, which 71 000 will be commercial surfaces. Atoll is as wide as the France Stadium, near Paris and is three times the size of Géant Casino. The shape of Atoll is elliptic. A garden will be created in its center.

The design of the commercial complex is very linked with environment regulations : noise emissions, energy savings, rain collection, solar energy and so. The work had started in 2009. The overall cost estimations were above 170 millions € (in 2008). Managed by the Phalsbourg Company, the commercial park will host more than fifty stores, mainly dedicated to the home universe and wil give jobs to 1 000 person of which 400 will be pure job creations.

The main brand will be Alinéa, a direct competitor to the Ikea's stores of Nantes and Tours. Alinéa is already present in Rennes. Clothing stores will open in Atoll but their number will not exceed 8% in order to avoid a competition with down town clothing stores. Several places of restauration will open their doors, one of whom is new in Angers (Starbucks). 

The spring cleaning of the Angevins' mess

With the arrival of spring, the parks and gardens department of Angers city starts a new campaign of nature care. The work consists mostly to revive the beds of flowers, to prune the shrubs but above all to clean up the spaces devoted to the pleasure of inhabitants from the pollution so many people let there behind them. Along the Saint-Michel boulevard, there is, in the middle of the way a narow line of strawberry trees totally invaded by papers, plastic bags, cigarettes packaging and buts, these men should be discouraged to revive.

Are the Angers people aware of the work these public employees have to do because of their carelessness, offhand manners and even contempt for their task? The Angevins inhabitants seem to believe they can afford to pay people for their own standing : the right to throw away garbages as if that behaviour was a sign of distinction. With the financial impoverishment of people and public authorities, another phenomena is occuring : the development of self pride in distincts generations. 

 In regard to the costs of that work, town hall should implement fines for these unappropriate behaviours because, apparently, the persons responsibles of these offenses don't understand the good sense and don't respect their fellow Angevins.

The attempt to give name to Maine-et-Loire inhabitants should join the Angers policy

The daily Ouest-France, the most important newspaper of the country, which reports news in many Western France cities, and among them, Angers, has launched a few weeks ago an inquiry about the interest to give a name to the Maine-et-Loire inhabitants. Apparently, that idea had not (till now?) triggered the interest of its readers : sixty persons have submitted an idea about the name the Maine et Loire inhabitants should choose. 


More than 15 years ago, an idea of the same type was briefly discussed at the Conseil général of the Maine-et-Loire, the authority in charge of the whole department. The principle of such a debate was quickly given up. If the issue has, now, more chance to last, it could be useful to think about the advantages the new name could bring for a better fame of the Maine et Loire. Angers, a year ago, choose the brand Angers Loire Valley and, after months of implementation, the change could work rather well in the number and the length of stayings of people for business or leisure in the city.


Most of the names suggested by the readers of Ouest France are not very groundbreaking : at best they try to join Maine et Loire rivers in the same name "Mainoligériens"... Beacause of the history of the main city of Maine-et-Loire, Angers, linked to United Kingdom history (a king of Anjou was also king of England) and its choice toward Angers Loire Valley, it could be wise to choose a name which reflects the relationship of the Maine-et-Loire province with the English civilization : is "Anglomen" suitable?

Letter from the editor

Dear Anonymous
Angers live is an app depicting Angers news throughout exerpts from local videos, radios and newspapers. All is in French. Apparently, Angers Daily News is the only website about Angers in English. Thank you for your comment.
Edgar Girondin

England on Angers screens

Several movies having England history as background are now showing in the Angers cinemas. "The iron lady", starring Meryl Streep, who depincts Margaret Thatcher and England as it was during hers years, is screened at the Gaumont Multiplexe and the Les 400 coups (in the late in its original version). 

Another period of England's history is described through the spy film "Tinker, tailor, soldier, spy", from a John Le Carré's book, refers to the political climate in england during the cold war between West an East. More remote from the contemporary time is "The war horse" about England during the first world war. And, at least, a new episode of the Sherlock Holmes inquiries is also in town's cinemas.


So Angers looks, presently, quite interested by scenes of life in the neighbouring country. Not other in Europe benefits of the same interest in spite of the very different political approaches of economic and political world problems. May be Angers viewers are looking for another way of understanding the evolution of their environment? What is may be the most intriguing is their interst for Maggie who was, politically, at the opposite of the choice Angers and French people made at that time (the Frech government was socialist, and the Torries were in 10 Downing street).


The same mood for England history was visible a year ago with "The king's speech" which staged the stammer of Georges VI. But the most succesfull movie is definitely a French one : "The artist"...

Something like USA, an insight of the United States of France at the Angers Saint Aubin tower

The Saint-Aubin tower hosts till next Sunday evening an interesting exhibition about the reproductions, the evocation in France of the US world. "Something like usa" is a photographical worf about the signs and marks of the american myth. Realized by two French photographers, Antoine Faurel and Jean Herpin, that collection of clichés highlights, with a touch of irony, the American fantasy of French. 

Born from a picture shot by chance of a giant restaurant sign, the work is a kind of "road trip made in France" as, the two photographers point it. "Some elements, some details in the urban landscape create a shift in space". Just for a while, the pedestrian feels he is moved to another country. All these pictures gather the United States of France : bungalows with big american cars where a Stars and Stripes banner is hoisted, the interior of a country restaurant or the frontside of a motel are some of the most intriguing expression of the fascination of French for the USA.

A city like Angers, typically French, includes now many American iconic objects in its surroundings : industrial zones, drivin'fast foods and so. But its maybe in the use of English words that American language and culture is the most present. This is ambivalent because in France, there is in the same time an attraction and a repulsion for symbols of the English speaking civilization.

The Angers 2012 carnival edition is on way

The Angers carnival, which will celebrate this year its 20t anniversary, is due to take place on March Saturday 31st with the great parade in down town. In order to give a specific dimension to the event, a lot of workshops are planned in all the districts of Angers city in March. In these gatherings in Belle-Beille, Lac de Maine, La Doutre, Les Justices and Les Hauts de Saint-Aubin districts, inhabitants will prepare costumes, wigs and floats while others will repeat their music themes and their danses.

The previous edition was tinged with policy : a float cartooning the president of the French republic (what is no objectionable by itself) was accompanied by a disagreable title what was close to a discriminatory criticism and disrespectful to his office (Finally justice ordered the withdrawal of the float). In a presidential election year, it is not ruled out that similar "excitement" be organized.

 Parades with inhabitants on stilts may be predicted because workshops will initiate people to wal in such a way. In Angers the event signals the end of winter and associate a lot of people. Disctricts of Angers demonstrate their team spirit and their creativeness. The end of the carnival will be celebrated at Ligny Quay through a giant choreography. A final rehearsal is scheduled on March 24th.

Angers Live , a new challenge in the local medias market

Crédit Pictures Angers Live

 English will be more visible in the Angers medias. Angers live, a new app available on iPhone, iPad and Android, gives to its users all the news about the city through articles, videos and local services, as well as live reports from users, discount tickets and geolocating directory. Radios : all the local stations which broadcast in the city are gathered on a page. All the videos regarding the city (sports, weather, urban policies) are displayed. 

One the most innovative functions is Angers live allows everyone to become, all the time, a publisher and ads its own chronicle to the city news. The users becomes actor and may share its emotions or surprises with the internet community of Angers live. A space for the debates about topics has been set up : everybody can express a point of view ( but the direct democracy is sometimes damaging).

That new media is an additional clue about the changes Angers is facing regarding its medias. If the tv model was not, up to now, profitable and if the paying newspapers are challenged by free models in kiosks and in internet, there are nevertheless ongoing changes. After Rennes and Nantes, Angers is the third city covered by France Live

Saint-Valentin's day : Angers, full of angels

The end of the cold wave coincides with the warming ot the hearts. The temperature Tuesday in Angers was milder than previous days. But male Angers inhabitants were burning for their soul mate. And the city flower shops knows that. Numerous of them were still welcoming customers in search for desmonstrations of love for their wiwes or their fiancées. 

Enlighted, decorated and crowded, the flower shop owners know that sales can soar that day. The Marché ô fleurs was cleaned out at 7.30 pm. Usually well stocked, the shop was without roses. And at La main fleurie, Pocquet de Livonnière street, it was the same : only pink, red and white petals of roses displayed on the ground to decorate the place were not sold! 

It was the same at Rose d'Anjou on Pasteur avenue In prevision of a busy day, a giant lorry was there at the first hours of the day. And at nightfall, like a little candle shining in the cold, the shop welcomed customers : all males. 


A famous character born in the Loire Valley first celebrated the Valentine's day, in a poems collection "Farewell to love" written in England. It was Charles d'Orléans, a French prince, captured by English at the Azincourt batlle and jailed at the London tower. He remained in England during 24 years.

Made in Angers thinks about the current world economic transformations and its local consequences

Made in Angers, the annual event dedicated to favour better knowledge from the Angers inhabitants toward local firms organized on February 13th at the congress center a conference regarding the economic transformations and their consequences for the territory. Businessmen, some having scientific responsabilities, and local representatives, at the Angers city and at the Maine et Loire Chamber of commerce and industry tried to identifiy what are the present trends in world economy and the assets and weaknesses of the Angers area.

The Qooq tablet, from Eolane

Regarding the world challenge of low cost countries, the observers think the odds for Angers to fill the gap is impossible. Morover the territory, as many others in France, has to face a national challenge : the weight of Ile-de-France which is the only place in France having an international size. Regarding Nantes, Angers has no choice but to join its efforts with those of the neighbour. But all the opportunities are not yet vanished, as illustrated the chairman of the Eolane group who created, in cooperation with other regional firms, an association Loire electronic application valley in order to be spotted abroad. And it works, he said, displaying "Qooq" a new tablet designed for kitchen purposes.


After the disasters Angers experimented a few years ago with the disappearances of Nec, Motorola, ACT, Packard Bell (till now), the guests of the conference apparently didn't learnt a lesson : nothing has been done regarding the forecast about new skills allowing people to get jobs in the future. Above all, the way the social, economic and administrative authorities look the economy could have to be reconsidered. A trade union leader pointed out that one of the forces of the territory was the dialogue. "It was useful when we decided to prevent a superstore to open on sunday mornings...". The economic recovery isn't yet in sight.

Angers clings to London to boost its airport

After months of uncertainty regarding the running of the airport of Angers, a hope came back with the announcement, on February the 8th, about the opening of a new destination. From May the 29th, Angers will be connected, three times a week to London. BA cityflyer, a subsidiary of British Airways, will operate the flights from 78 € for a one way only per person. If, on the website of the company, this is not exactly the same price, its is essential to get the flight at that price, more or less. During the past, the difference between the official and the real price, for that destination or others, was to great. The Angers airport faced recently several withdrawals (the most recent with an Italian company).

But that time it could be different because the destination is consistent with the city policy which aims at getting a better reputation abroad. A few weeks ago, the Angers convention bureau made public the growth of the sales of stayings to foreign people coming in town for business or tourism. And about a year ago, the city launched a new brand, Angers Loire Valley, clearly dedicated to link the city to the Loire valley, classified by Unesco as part of the world heritage list. 

 The issue of the openness of the city to the world has not yet been clearly identified as one of the ways to get Angers as well prepared in relation with the on-going economic world transformation. The promoters of the new line should well advise to keep a close attention on the future of the line which could be premonitory to the fate of the city. (Credit picture : Angers Loire Airport)

Angers Loire Métropole : the capital budget decreases while the operating budget soars

Credit : Photo: Samuel Meeldijk/Angers Loire Métropole

For the Angers firms, a new turn in fiscal pressure is in view. The Angers Loire Métropole (Alm) council voted on February 9th an increase of the transportation tax. Paid by the Angers private firms and public administrations employing at least 10 persons, the rate of the tax will increase from 1,8% to 2%. The financial receipt generated by that rise sums 4,5 millions €. The reason of that increase is in "the transports offer in the Angers metropolis which considerably grew with the launch of the first tramway line [and because] last year the firms saw their fiscal charges decrease...", according to André Despagnet, deputy chairman of Alm in charge of finances.

So the announcement of the (former) mayor of Angers and still chairman of Alm, Jean-Claude Antonini regarding the stability of the fiscal pressure was not true. Through the local companies, the Angers employees or job seekers will bear the burden because the 4,5 millions € will not be converted in local wages. Moreover, the Alm council claimed he voted "a budget of savings", what the representatives of the minority in the council even recognized!

But a study of the previous budgets (2008, 2009, 2010, 2011) indicates exactly the opposite. If the total of the budget decreases (463 millions in 2010, 422 millions in 2011, 367 millions in 2012) as well as the capital budget (245 millions, 176 millions, 113 millions €), the operating budget follows an opposite trend : 188 millions in 2008, 212 in 2009, 218, in 2010, 246 in 2011 then 254 millions € this year : 35% in 4 years! Where are the savings?

The Ralliement square doesn't go round

The merry-go-round of the Ralliement square... doesn't go round. Set-up there since a few months, its owner hoped to stay till march but apparently, and for reasons the city of Angers didn't expressed, the merry-go-round will have to go. The owner doesn't understand the stance of Angers town hall and makes public its disappointment on posters around the carousel. 

The lovers of Ralliement square aren't lucky. A few weeks ago, the news kiosk stopped its business for insufficient sales. At that time, the manager complained (on the same way the merry-go-round did) about the policy of town hall which denied him the right to set-up his kiosk close to the trolley station or, at least, which refused to adjust its front side toward the trolley line.

This gives to the inhabitants the feeling Angers city doesn't have a very precise idea about the part the Ralliement square, located at the core of the city, is assigned. According to many Angers medias, the place looks cold (especially now), mineral and monotonous. For such reasons, the city should try to make it more eventful. But the project is not clear, if there is one. 

Consequence of the cold, Angers inhabitants deprived of water because of frosted pipings

The cold could be tougher in 2012 compared to previous period because of a little phenomena which occured on Thursday on one of the main avenues of Angers. Going by bike in down town on the afternoon an inhabitant saw an unusual jet of water on a pavement located to a crossroad of that avenue. That inhabitant (a lady) met a employee of the technical department of the city who, after having decline his duty to intervene (because the location of the problem was not in his territorial area) agreed to call by phone the right collegue.


Coming back from town, the lady met a team of the water company working on the filling-up of the piping : several lorries and an excavator were gathered on the place, sign-posted by flashing lights. Started at about 4 pm, the work endend at 10 pm after several homes of that avenue were deprived of water. The frost of the piping was the origin of the problem. The temperature that day never were above 0.


The meteo department forecast lower temperatures on Friday. Some city pavements, nevertheless very followed by inhabitants were, on the first hours of Thursday covered by iced snow. However, employees of the city were at work. In such snowfalls become requent, towh hall wil have to reconsider the human and material resources it can dedicate to solve the consequencies.

Removed from Angers streets, snow still disturbs and gets angry inhabitants

There is still a lot of work to do. If the snow removal is visible on the streets, it is not the case of the pavements, even on the most popular places of Angers. If the task is probably difficult with automatic engines because of the cars parked along the streets, the pedestrians do not understand why the city has not already clean the pavements by hand. "It is pitiful", complained a (young) lady trying to cross a patch of ice like a tightrope walker.


The difficulty to remove the snow is probably true because on pedestrianized streets, it has been put in small piles with shovels. Its the case in Saint-Laud street, but the pavements along Carnot boulevard are entirely frosted and their uneven surface surely doesn't make easy to walk on it. Most surprising is the situation on Ralliement square, near the railway station : some tongues of ices still covers the surface. And at the Molière station the access for disabled persons are completely impassable.

The cold makes the people cautious in their movements and that prevents casualties. And may in a few days, the snowfall will have fainted from the streets. It is not sure the experience will do the same in minds of Angers inhabitants. It is desirable lesson be learnt by the city authority because snow will be back again, soon or later. 

Salty debate between Angers representatives after the snowfalls

The snowfall invades the Angers town council. The apparent difficulties for the city to overcome the huge quantities of snow in the streets reported previously were resented by Angers inhabitants and have triggered a "snowball battle" between representatives of the minority and majority sides in the town council. All agree about the problem the drivers, pedestrians, coming in Angers for work or studies, face to get around. 

The technical department of town hall recognizes that it has been caught out by events : " the snow dropped much more quicky than predicted", adding that a second snowfall had ruined the results of desalination : "The salt put down has been quickly recovered without the necessary time to take effects". The notice of the minority looks true : "all Sunday long, even the main ways of traffic were snowy. The surroundings of the railway station was a ice rink".


The inhabitants' judgment is categoric : according to a poll, more than 80% of them think that street were unappropriately cleaned on Monday morning. The majority of town hall council has been slipped by the snow.

Angers recovers from snowfalls with difficulties

If the snowfall was a pleasure for some of the Angers inhabitants, the difficult results Angers town council street maintenance department got to restore safety on the most used urban ways for drivers and pedestrians were another one. Nevertheless, on its website, Angers town hall reports with details that the employees of its technical services were at work since Saturday evening and will be back on the scene during the Monday to Tuesday night from 3 am in the morning. 

Appartently, the snowfall effects were difficult to eliminate because on Sunday morning the main streets of the city were covered by a layer of 4 to 5 cm high. Apparently, that didn't serverely worried on Monday the people coming or crossing the city for work or studies. The weather didn't generated casualties. But it is not sure the balance will last if the frost comes and town hall points out the "the risk is high".

If, between Sunday morning and Monday morning, it was difficult to notice a change, the  situation started to normalize only on Monday afternoon. Météo France forecasts a little snowfall in the next night, then, a sunny weather but a drop of temperatures. Caution!

Angers "snow down" on Sunday

It was really a special day. Not only because Angers met abundant snowfalls during the previous night and a part of the day, but mainly because of the snowy atmosphere which reigned over the city all day long : a cocoon-like ambiance where all the movements are muffled, slowed down and made less secure. Pedestrians, bikers, drivers, all Angers inhabitants having to move on Sunday looked awkward. But it was nevertheless a lively atmosphere : everyone feeling more vulnerable to nature feels and behaves like a child.


The traffic was evidently slowed down : the cars were driven more cautiously than usual, because or the lack of security on the way but above all because of the wish of numerous drivers to have a look on an unusual landscape : fixed, deserted and silent. The good reactions are not automatic : in some cases, cars abruptly accelerated were impossible to drive. Ina short period of time, severeal vehicles were pushed by people. The snow, almost 4 cm high, made cars spin on the way while families going fo a walk held the opportunity to get out luges for their kids.

Apparently, the Angers town hall department in charge of cleaning the streets faced some difficulties to cope with all the ways needed to be cleared off. At noon, the main streets of downtown were not got rid out of the snow. But the risky period is about to come. On Monday, a working day, everybody will have to move in spite of the frost.

Forcecast of snowfall on Angers area from Saturday night till Sunday noon

The capital of Anjou is maybe facing the coldest period of the year. After a snowfall a the very end of January, followed by a drop in temperatures with Russian wind, the night between Saturday and Sunday will see the continuation of a thermometer below zero and new snowfall. According to weather forecasts, the layer of snow will reach between 4 and 9 cm on Angers province on Sunday morning. The fall could last from Saurday night to Sunday noon.


Two difficulties may occur. First the traffic could slow down and even be more dangerous. In order to prevent accidents, Angers and Maine et Loire authorities are preparing teams and materials to make the roads more secure. Another difficulty could come from homeless people, endangered by the cold. For these, he danger is real because the cold makes these people drowsy. So on that field, police officers, firefighters and rescuers of civil safety could have to monitor the endangered people. And a special phone number (115) is dedicated to immediate help.



Snowfall is a quite scarce meteorological phenomena in the area : there are no more than 7 days of snow per year in Angers area according to meteorological statistics. After temperatures of 2 below zero on Saturday evening and during the night, the thermometer will range around zero on the days to come.