With or without Angers petition, the Plantagenêt's fate still arouses popular interest in England

Credit Picture BBC News Leicester

If the Plantagenêt petition claiming compensation for the murder, in 1499, of Edward Plantagenet, legitimate pretendant to England's throne had bore the Angers public, the fate of that family still trigger interest on the other side of the Channel. The archeological diggings recently undertaken to find again the bones of Richard III, last Plantagenet king of England, catch the attention of English people. Nuemrous English and US medias, and among them, BBC News, ITV News, Huffington Post UK CBS News, Fox News, dedicated coverages to the issue. 

Credit Picture : Leicester University

Richard III was killed by his successor, Henry VII Tudor, at the battle of Bosworht field in 1485. It was said that his remains had been buried in the Greyfriars church, later desmolished by Henry VIII. The site is nowadays a car park but has kept the name of the church. The archelogogists have already uncovered medieval walls what could be those of the church where the king was buried. If remains are found, their DNA will be tested against living descendants of Richard III...

Finding Richard III's body is still a long shot but meanwhile, the excavation is an exciting find for English medias. The Plantagenet monarchy has died but its myth is still alive. That should help the Plantagenêt petitonners in their attempt to catch the interest of their UK cousins. They share the same passion.

The Technicolor employes fear dark future for their factory and themselves

The employees of Technicolor, the former Thomson company located in Angers, are worried by the dark clouds which are getting close to their factory. Put in June into receivership, the Nanterre Tribunal of commerce has set the September 6th as the end of the delay for the running extension. The decision the judges will have to take on that day depends on the takeover projects and on the load of work in the factory.

After they demon-strated in front of the Maine et loire prefecture a few days ago, the employees of Technicolor and their supports, about 400 persons, shouted their anger in front of Angers town hall on Thursday morning before a march along Foch boulevard. According to their motto, their fate could already be sealed. "The Technicolor mangers want to get rid of us after an history started in 1954", they said urging people and public authorities to take initiatives to avoid the loss of about 350 jobs.

That morning, these persons wearing their white coat looked more to distraught employees than fierce demonstrators. Most of them, men and women, have already reached the fifties and feel legitimately to be thrown away after years of dedication to tv sets, the symbol of the industrialization of Angers more than fifty years ago.

440 years ago : tSaint-Barthélémy massacres erupted in Angers

One of the differences between Anjou, former part of the Plantagenêt kingdom, and the United Kingdom present along the next Accroche-Coeurs, is religion. While the continental part of the ancient Plantagenêt empire is mainly catholic, on the other bank of the Channel, protestantism is the dominant confession. But that difference was the origin, 440 years ago, of a terrible civil war in France, best known under the title "Saint-Barthélémy massacres". These horrible facts took place in Angers on August 29th 1572.

What triggered the horrible events in Angers is not a public resentment between Angers catholics and protestants but an order given by the Anjou governor, Puygaillard, to his confidence man, Jean de Chambes, Montsoreau baron. That last was "remarkable" for the cruelty he demonstrated in the previous religious wars. The Saint-Barthélémy massacres had just taken place in Paris a few days before. 

So de Chambes arrives in Angers on August 29th. He goes to the homes of the main huguenots of Angers and killed them by his own-hand, with blades or pistols. The rumor about these murders triggers a riot and, as in Paris, scenes of popular rage appear. De Chambes realises events are going out of control and he decides to stop the slaugthers. Finally, simple huguenots, their wives and children will be spared and jailed in the castle. In 1598, Angers will be the place where the Edit de Nantes, granting religious freedom was drawn up. After its reocation, many Huguenots from Western France choose to emigrate.

Angers unemployment is rising while real estate is at a standstill

Two economic surveys were made public this week which cast a shadow over the end of summer holidays and the return to work in the Angers region. First, in Maine-et-Loire, thus very probably in Angers, the figures of unemployment noticed a acute deterioration on only one year. With almost 33 000 job seekers, the unemployment rate increase of about 10% since July 2011. 

At the same time, another survey has pointed out that the real estate economy in Angers was at a standstill. Apartments and houses sell badly. According to the real estate agencies, people lack of visibility in the future and think the environment is too unstable. Logically they don't want to go into projects. The first trimester of 2012 confirmed the trend except, may be, in a specific - and new - category of buyers : people living in Paris would be in search of homes near the Saint-Laud railway station. In Angers down town, individuals homes are very much in demand. Single houses with 150 m2 are worthing between 400 000 and 450 000 euros. 

After one year of observations, it seems that the effect of the Angers trolley is not as important as foreseen. Along the line, it is said that the increase of real estate prices is not due to the trolley but by their place. Located in Angers down town, the values increase while in other districts, it's not (already?) the case. (Credit pictures : Wikipédia and Angers Loire Métropole)

An Angers school choice in favor of the English rythm

English uniforms (Wikipedia)

With the end of the summer holidays and the return to school, issues regarding the scholar rythm put Angers on the front pages. While most of the French  and Angevins pupils attend school on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday morning, at the Angers Isoret school, things are different. Pupils go to school from Monday to Friday morning, Wednesday included. The choice between the two formulas was offered a few years ago to Angers families who, on a large majority, decided to keep on the general mood. Only a school, the Isoret, dared to change in favor of a rythm which looks nearer to the English one.
 

The Isoret school (Credit : Isoret)

Generally, English primary schools run from Monday to Friday and the courses start at 9.00 am and finish at 3.00 or 4.00 pm what is precisely the schedules choosen by the Isoret. Apparently, the option suits to everybody : parents, pupils and teachers of the Isoret. It's also the stance of the municipal council of Angers even if that way is most costly to finance because, if the pupils leave school at 3.30 pm they must be occupied after in workshops paid by the city. "Hopefully", the French lenght of the scholar year is one of the shortest in Europa : 144 days in France compared to 190 days in England.

That is not the most visible difference. In England, scholar uniforms must be worn at all times while in France, their presence is not common. But the issue deserves to think about it. Presently Angers medias, which wonder about the cost of the scholarship as well as equality of opportunities and praised the increase of the scholar start year benefit, should also look to the cost of the fashion clothes for children. The uniform sets everyone at the same level and is free from the prices of fashion.
 

"Oh! Darling", the Angers store which develops contacts with (English) "love language"

(Credit pictures : Oh! Darling)

"Oh! Darling" is not only an expression of love between men and women (not necessarily married). "Shortly" (the word doesn't refer to the size of a clothe but has to do with the time which is going on), "Oh! Darling" will be, in Angers and in September, a store of 400 m2 located on Doyenné boulevard, in which all Angers (and surroundings) inhabitants will find "a large department of items for wellness, for your couple or in solo" after, for sure, a very serious Angers market research.

In that store, French speaking visitors will be free from guilt. Most of the items have English sounding names : "Yes for love" and "Easy Love" in the well-being departement, " Obsessive", "Dream girl" int the female fine lingerie department, "Fun Factory", "Rocks-Off" and "We-vibe" in the sextoys section. All names which indicate addiction for sex is imported from English speaking countries...

Nevertheless, the Angevins customers could be sensitive to the linguistic arguments of "Oh! Darling" which brings "hot pepper to your couple life". The store could also increase the turnovers of the neighbouring Chabada concert hall and the beds and matress store. For these, that would be a logic outcome for people calling each others by "Oh! Darling".

The research of England king Richard III remains revives the Plantagenêt story

Richard III (Wikipedia)

While the 2012 edition of the Accroche-Coeurs event will revive in the days to come the memory of the Plantagenêt dynasty, by a curious coïncidence, that royal family will be, at the same time,  in the front pages of UK medias. University of Leicester archeologists team is digging in one of the city car parks where it thinks the remains of King Richard III have been buried. Richard III died at the Battle of Bosworth in 1485, more than 500 years ago. He was the last king of England coming from the Plantagenêt family.

Richard III was the uncle of Edward Plantagenêt. Both of them were killed by Henry VII, first member of the Tudor family to rise to the English throne. Richard III was king of England and Edward Plantagenêt the pretender to the crown after Richard III death, so a direct political threat for Henry VII.

Grey Friars car park (Credit Leicester University)

The Angers city should probably wait before to react if the remains were found (two weeks of excavation are planned and the most difficult will be to determine the whereabouts of the church on the site and where in the church the body was buried). In case of a discovery of the remains of Richard III, these would be reinterred at Leicester cathedral. At this time, the English authorities do not foresee to return nor the crown jewels, nor the Richard's body to Angers city, the native land of the Plantagenêt. In a comment about the chances of the digging, the archeologists say that "Up to now, the only royalty found is an Austin Princess"...

The Maine lake bathing spot could deserve the same care Ralliement square had that summer

A few days ago, Angers city announced the re-opening of the bathing spot of the Maine lake on August 22nd, after all worries about the harmlessness of the water were ruled out. The news would have delighted many Angers inhabitants if the weather had not cooled the same day... If the local authority was right to close the place for the safety of people, nevertheless, researches will be compulsory to prevent (if possible) the renewal of the green alga phenomena.


More generally, if another heat wave should arrive in September (summer is not yet over) or next year, Angers should think about the opportunity to equip the Maine lake as the way others cities do (like Paris, but at another scale) without the luck to have a natural bathing spot. At the Maine lake, the ground opening on the bathing spot is just grass without no beach furnitures : sun umbrellas and beach chairs that people could rent for the day. 

But it's maybe the function of the Maine Lake pyramid which should be recon-sidered. Located on a little promontory, the place allows a splendid view on the lake and looks to only host sports associations offices. A commercial equipment like a restaurant or a cafe would attract public and money (so jobs) on its terraces. Why the Maine lake resort would not deserve a similar treatment of The Ralliement square on summer? Beach chairs and sun umbrellas would be as suitable as they are in down town. (Credit Pictures : Angers city)

Letter from the editor

Thank you with a little lateness to Martin Wright, for his kind interest for Adn. Edgar

The "Jewels appeal" : Angevins speak to English

The advocate of the return to Angers of the England crown jewels recent took an initiatives which may lead to conclude they really believe in the chances of success of the Plantagenêt petition. In order to be perfectly understood by the holders of the England crown jewels and to stimulate the participation of Angers inhabitants to the next Accroche-Coeurs due to take place from September 7th to 9th, the organizers of the event choose to launch to all of them an appeal, through the official city website, in a clip subtitled... in English! 

While most of the time, and unfortunately, in France, English speaking movies are translated from English to French, or at least, subtitled in French, the trailer of the Accroche-Coeurs do the opposite.
 - "People of Angers, you are the heirs of the Plantagenêt kings. I will help you avenge six centuries of injustice. You must get the British crown jewels back", appeals, Calixte de Nigremont, the ceremony master,
-" Why?" answered a group of inhabitants gathered on Saint-Eloi square.
- "On 28 November 1499, the cunning Tudor King Henry VII had Edward Plantagenêt beheaded, the last of the "Angers kings" and claimant to the Throne of England. So? Today the crown jewels must be returned to Angers. During the Accroche-Coeurs, on 7, 8 and 9 September, let's all gather, turn to the North and demand the Crown jewels", Calixte de Nigremont urged.

But in the same time, the Accorche-coeurs organizers, in order to make illegetimate the English indignation regarding the Plantagenêt petition, remind that in 1866, a similar initiative was launched by an English newspaper in favor of the return to England of the recumbent statues of Plantagnêt kings displayed (in bad conditions) in Fontevraud Abbey. They did it though a press-release titled, a little bit provokingly, "Fair play". The Napoléon III agreed to send them back to England what fueled an important wave of criticisms. Hopefully Queen Victoria didn't demanded the emperor's offer was implemented. It was fair from her.

 
 

A new stadium for Angers Sco : kick-off of the political season 2012-2013

Welcomed on August 21st at Angers town hall by the mayor of the city, the local soccer club Angers Sco gave (unin-tentionaly?) the kick-off of the political season 2102-2013. One of the issues mentionned during the meeting was the project of a new stadium which would substitute the Jean Bouin stadium located in Angers and built in 1912 and redeveloped in 1925. The president of the Maine-et-Loire General Council, Christophe Béchu, who could be the main opponent to the present mayor of Angers, Frédéric Beatse, was in favor of that project while that last rather stands back. 

The fact the issue of a new stadium was not mentionned in the report of the meeting on the official city website is a clear indication of that. Mr Béchu had spoken about a new stadium during the last municipal polls of 2008 and could be still in that mood arguing the place of the present stadium is a valuable building plot. But, if it is the case, that will not be sufficient to finance the project. Would not it be better to solve the difficulties of parking around the existing stadium first?

The Angers Sco evolves for years in the French second division of the national soccer tournament and aims to reach the first.A new stadium could be an asset but the cost of such an equipment must make the decision makers cautious. In Le Mans, a Western neighbouring city of Angers, a new stadium was opened in 2011 and cost more than 100 millions €. But, the Le Mans soccer club was that season relegated from the 1st to the 2nd division what reappraises the financial balance of the project. The advertising revenues will decrease while Le Mans city grant an allocation of around 800 000 € per year. Angers city does the same and had problems with the previous chairman of Angers Sco. The city is already involved in a delicate game for its finances in the years to come. Is appropriate for Angers city to play that game? (Credit Pictures Angers city and Wikipedia)

Letter from the editor

Thank you to Marion Mc Guinness, Gayle Howden and Girondinsdecoeur for their kind interest. Edgar

Learning English : the Angers company Speaky Planet suggests a good resolution before school starts

The interest of Angers regarding English is not contradicted. An initiative coming from a little company consists in making easier for pupils to learn than language. Speaky Planet has recently displayed a series of games which deal with the main aspects of daily life : sports and hobbies, the kitchen, etc. Through little scenarios, the young user becomes familiar with the vocabulary useful to speak fluently. With a daily practice of 10 mn, about 200 news wors may be learnt each month. All the games have been monitored by English teachers and the texts are read by English actors. The prices of subcription are cheap (55 € for the whole year) in comparison with the 2012 School Return Benefit.

 Many opportunities exist in Angers to learn English or to improve one's level. Private companies like Wall Street Institute as well as public organizations like the Municipal Institute or the Angers Free Time University deliver English lessons and the crowd doesn"t decrease. Persons coming from English speaking countries offer courses to very young children and Angers is one of the rare medium French cities to host an English Language Library and a department of an American university (Saint-Edward University).

The Angers town hall has itself choosen a English sounding brand, Angers Loire Valley, to promote the region abroad. And the next edition of the Accroche-Coeurs will give a large part of the programm to England. There is also in down town a litte tea room where Englihs is (only) spoken My Favourite Place.

The Maine lake bathingspot ban in August pointed out the usefulness of La Baumette

The interest and for most people the pleasure generated by of the hottest period of the year, due to take end this week, were lowered in Angers by the temporary closing of the Maine lake bathing spot during the latest days. The origin of the prohibition for bathing was the proliferation of green algas which can be harmful for skin (irritation). If the problem may be due to the peak of heat, it is also linked to the high presence of phosphate in the water.

Huge quantities of phosphate come, usually, from the rejection of dirty water (it was surprising in that area) or, more probably, by the use of fertilizers in the surroundings which are naturally drained towards the bathspot. In order to prevent such a phenomena to recur, the city council will have to closely investigate the case because its appearance was probably a pity for numerous families who benefit, for free, of a good leisure for their kids. 

This could be useful because a big change is due to occur in the facilities inhabitants have for swiming in Angers. The La Baumette swimming pool is due to close definitely next year and be substituted by Aquavita, a new swimming and leisure complex located in the Les Hauts de Saint-Aubin district. Apparently, some of the Angers inhabitants are doubtful about the opportunity of the future equipment and will be  careful about its fares. They don't want to loose what they found during years at La Baumette and want to find it again in Aqua Vita (Credit pictures and video : Angers city).

The Angers website whets inhabitants appetite before the English "Big Lunch"

One of the most scheming moments of the next Accroche-Coeurs event, planned in Angers on September 7th, 8th and 9th, could be "The big lunch". This idea is unusual because many French people have a condescending opinion of British cuisine and culinary traditions (the opposite doesn't exist). Moreover, while British people are considered by French as reserved and even cold (English people scarecely shake hands and never kiss each others) "The big lunch" planned in Angers on September 9th near "Verdun bridge" (written in English on the city website) in order to have fun clearly refers to a British tradition.

Initiated in 2009, "The Big Lunch" idea consists in "getting as many people as possible across the whole of the UK to have lunch with their neighbours once a year in a simple act of community, friendship and fun". In 2012, "The Big Lunch" fell on the same weekend as The Queen's Diamond Jubilee celebrations on June 3rd (a Sunday) and gathered 8,5 millions people across the UK. A "Big Lunch can be anything from a few neighbours getting together in a garden or a street, to a full blown street party with food, music and decoration that quite literally stops the traffic".

What looks fun in the advertisement published on the city website is "The (Angers) Big Lunch" is said to be "à la bonne franquette" as if having fun was not possible beyond the Channel. This may not be true. There are also informal meals and lunches without any fuss in UK. And there, the weather is more rainy. So English are more deserving.

The unusual advice of Angers prefecture regarding the heatwave prevention

The prefecture of Maine-et-Loire expressed an unusual advice regarding the safety measures the inhabitants should take in order to prevent unhealthy consequences of the present heatwave over the department.  On its website, the state authority lists some "preventive measures" against the meteorological phenomena and, among them, the fact to stay "two or three hours per day in cool places (like) cinemas, municipal libraries and supermarkets"...

Maine lake (Credit picture : Angers city)

The problem is the 2012 heatwave lasts from a Friday to a Monday, including so ... a Sunday. How can the people desiring to shelter from heat stay in such places if these are closed? Regarding the municipal libraries, these are closed by order of the town. Do the prefecture and Angers town hall agree about the Sunday closure of their services? Regarding the supertores, a few months ago, the prefecture de Maine et Loire and Angers town hall united their efforts in order to prevent superstores to open on Sunday. May be would it be simple to go to Jean Bouin, the main Angers swimming pool or to the Lac the Main bathing spot? No there are closed!

The solution could consist in compelling the heatwave effects to disappear on Sunday! Theses authorities cannot of course tell that. But can they admit they were wrong about the Sunday closing? It would be said that they were victims of a sunburn!

Angers doesn't look threatened by an heatwave comparable to August 2003

Angers is preparing to face the hottest period of the year. The temperature on August 17th reached 34° C and should records on the next day one degree more. The thermometer will not decrease significantly before August 22nd. Thirty five degrees is an unusual and high temperature in Angers region but it is not nevertheless the hottest the city experimented.

On August 4th 1990, the Avrillé station of Météo France noticed a heatwave at 38,4° C. But is was not the peak. In 1947, 39,8 ° C were noted down in 1947 (a famous year for the wine). More recently, in 2011, a peak was recorded by the Avrillé meteorologists at 33,4° but according to these specialists, such levels are epiphenomenas and don't occur more than 6 times in a quarter of a century.

The most remembered meteorological phenomena is of course the heatwave of 2003. Angers city, between August 1st and 18th,  faced 8 days with temperatures above 35°. The heatwave was made worse by few rains. In Angers, the level of rainfalls didn't reached 80% of the normal level. On a long period, the global warming looks noticeable in Angers. The values noticed in the from 1820 to 1825  don't increase above 21 degrees. (Credit pictures Angers city)

In case of heatwave

What to do in case of heatwave? First keep out of the heat by trying to plan one's day in a way allowing to stay out of the heat; it's important to avoid to get out during the hottest part of the day. Second stay cool : one must reduce heat coming from sunlight out of the windows kept closed. Third : drink regularly even if one is not thirsty avoiding tea, coffee and alcohols. Four : help others.

Angers risks the sunburn during next days

On the very next days to come, Angers, as most cities in France, should face the hottest period of the year. According to Météo France, from 75° F on Thursday, the maximum temperature should increase to 90 ° F on Friday, then to 100° F on Saturday! Regarding the sky, from partially sunny on Thursday, it will become very sunny on Saturday.

That would change the atmosphere of the Ralliement square, where colourful deckchairs have been set up. Criticized for the its lack of trees and plants, its surface should concentrate then reflect the heat of the day, for the pleasure of passer-by. Curiously, the city website didn't published on Thursday informations or advices regarding the predictable heatwave and didn't informed about the situation of the Maine lake bathing spot closed since a week and for an undeterminated period...

If some Angers swimming pool are opened, others are closed and that's the case for the most important of them : Jean Bouin. This is not the only hiccup : the summer equipments on Ralliement square will be available till August 18th, but the high temperatures will probably continue on the next days. Météo France forecasts 95° F on Wednesday (Credit picture : Angers city).

An Angers "channel" between vacationers and "staycationers"

"Long absent, soon forgotten". This English adage should be remembered and implemented by people who go in holidays while others, often elder persons, have only the choice to stay home. In Angers, as in many French cities, it is noticeable that the place looks less crowded in August than the rest of the year.

Emma and John, two Angers inhabitants, stayed recently in their native country letting behind them a neighbour, retired and widow for years. Having established a good relationship with the man, they asked him if he would be available to monitor their home during their absence. The man said yes and two times a day casts a glance to the place.

"I am pleased to feel I am still useful to others", said the elder whose daughter explained recently to Emman and John that her father was delighted with such a mission. Recently, Emma gave a call to her neighbour.

- "Hello Robert, this is Emma. May I come and have a coffee?", she said.
- "Oh Emma, thank you for your postcard. Of course you may come, I have just set to cups on the table", he answered before remembering that in fact, he will not have visits that day...
- "Sorry Rob, I was joking. I can't come because I'm calling you from abroad", she replied.
- "That's not a problem dear. Your call is like a visit for me!", laughed Rob.

Sometimes, it's possible to "combine business and pleasure". Inhabitants and homes feel less alone...

The Angers Plantagenet petition is not yet crowned with success

It is not sure the sponsors of the Plantagenet petition, launched at the end of May, to demand the England crown jewels brought back to Angers, may have gained the support they wished. On August 15th, 2 600 persons had already signed the claim, but that figure is far short from what was expected : 800 000 signatures. Nevertheless, the Facebook page dedicated to the claim still records "Likes" and visitors. An Angers inhabitant visiting London during the Olympic games even waved a little board about the restitution of the jewels in front of Buckingham palace!

Credit Picture : Angers city

The turmoil generated by the Angers initiative in the press round the world looks to be calmed. Now the success of the event relies on Angers inhabitants. Will their participation give to the next Accroche-Coeurs edition the English touch wished by its organizers? The first are invited to come to the different displays with items (cars, clothes) and behaviour (presence at a tea party or a lawyers debate) aiming at giving Angers an English aspect.

It would be sad that such a claim would not be followed by a more positive local policy aiming at strenthening the interest of Angers inhabitants to the English world. That would make more effective the englicized brand Angers Loire Valley. A campaign devised to lead English tourists in the region was implemented in London a few weeks ago. After the Accroche-Coeurs, Angers Loire Valley could become England Loire Valley.

The Amiens events demonstrate to Angers that economy is as important as urban architecture

The dramatic events which occured on the night between July the 13th and the 14th in Amiens may generate fears in many others cities of France. Amiens was one of the numerous towns of the country to benefit of an important program of urban renovation.  About 240 millions euros were invested in several districts of that town. Among them, the Etouvie district where the confrontations between youngs and police took place. The same amount was invested in Angers during the same period and a new plan is underway on the Monplaisir district.

These events demon-strate that if the redeve-lopment of several Angers districts were necessary, may be it will not be sufficient to bring back fulfillment among inhabitants. The daily life of those depends heavily on purchasing power and jobs. In that view, these events could occur in Angers. So the local representatives should take care, not only of material environment, social link and social mixity, but also of economic competitiveness and attractivity. That could be more difficult, but above all more necessary, because the French economy is on the verge of a recession in 2012.

Many projects are planned in Angers in the years to come : a second tramway line, a new swimming pool, the complete redrawing of Maine banks, a new congress center. But these are not the only assets Angers must have to compete with others cities in France and abroad. Low fiscal pressure and balanced budgets may be also useful "monuments" to erect in the years to come for the preservation and the safety of Angers inhabitants way of life.

20 minutes Angers edition still on the mood but paper or web could be a possible choice

The daily newspaper 20 minutes, which distributes on Angers its national edition and had announced it will print a local edition in 2012, could be still in that mood. If, worldwide, the Norwegian group sees its trimestrial turnover increasing, its net profit has declined. In France, it's quite the opposite : the trimestrial turnover has decreased but the net profit stays positive, so the group doesn't apparently change its plan to be present in 40 cities in France and, among them, Angers.  Thirteeen editions are already printed in the country.

In Angers , 20 minutes is already distributed around the Saint-Laud railways station and on Foch boulevard under blue sun umbrellas (even if the weather is gloomy). The Norwegian group operates in France with Sipa press, the holding of Ouest-France which, a few years ago, bought Le Courrier de l'Ouest.

But the way 20 minutes will choice to report news from and to Angers could evolve. Worldwide, the Norwegian group noticed a change regarding the origin of advertisement orders. More and more, they  benefit to the web and less and less to the print. So that could affect, not the decision of 20 minutes to be present on Angers but the manner of it. If it's the case, the project of a local tv channel recently planned by Angers city could be a little bit difficult to launch.

The economy in Angers on next years leads to monitor closely the future congress center

Among the important decisions on the Angers town hall agenda for the years to come is the building of a new congress center. The cost ot such a project and its profitability are things to check carefully before implementation. During their stay in Palma de Mallorca (Spain), a couple of readers of Angers Daily News sent an email to that blog about the construction of the future congress center the city of Palma has launched when economy was still booming in the country.

Largely underway, the complex will be inaugurated at the worst period for that kind of equipment : Spain and the Baleares province are facing the worst crisis Palma inhabitants ever saw for years. The local authorities, which are lead to severely decrease expenses, faced the absence of candidate able to run the congress center according preliminary conditions. So they decided to suspend indefinitely the continuation of the scheme. That one already generated a debt of about 70 millions euros no one knows how to deal with.

While France is facing a slight recession in the months to come and foresees the end of the crisis in a more distant future, Angers should closely think about the issue of a new congress center, by reconsidering its size or even by postponing it for better times.

Auschwitz, final destination of Angers martyrs always chills visitors after nearly 70 years

Credit Picture Wikipedia

"The place chills you as soon as you go in", was Percy and Edward's first impression when they crossed the gates of the Auschwitz concentration camp (Poland) where one million Jews was slaughtered from early 1942 till late 1944. "What happened here scares you given (the holocaust) took place no more than 70 years. What a cruelness", they said. Some of their pictures testify the incredible conditions populations coming from all Europa had to face before to die.

Credit Picture : Percy

One of them shows hundreds of glasses of deported persons in the middle of head of hair. Every person wearing glasses may have a little idea of the "discomfort" they felt without them. Alas, most terrible treatments wera wainting them. One of the surving prisoners who recalled in Angers medias a few weeks ago their arrival at Auschwitz said the guardians told them they would go out "through the chimneys"...

Auschwitz was the "final destination" of those Angers victims deported on July 20th of 1942 (Angers Daily News July 20th 2012) from the Saint-Laud railway station where their martyrdom started. Apparently, no sign commemorates that sad event on that place.

Poland, an opportunity to reconsider some Angers daily life conditions

Summer is at least a propicious period for Angers inhabitants to relax but also to discover new countries. Some of them, Percy and Edward, readers of Angers Daily News sent to that blog a message about Poland where they were invited by an American friend native from that country. If Angers and surroundings are hit by the economic slowdown, Polish cities have not yet reached the same state of development. Their observations about daily conditions of life of Polish families may relativize the own difficulties Angers inhabitants are complaining about.

"The road are in bad condition and full of lorries", notices Anthony on way with his brother to the Auchwitz camp after a 143 kms trip "which took us two hours and a half". Regarding the gas, "the prices are the same as in France. So many people use to travel by bike and apparently, it's not for health or fitness purposes".

Another way allowing to compare the economic development is the food. The two brothers notice Polish people look to eat high-energy food. Few vegetables are on daily menus. "The care about sane fooding has not yet been 'swallowed' by Polish people but, one of these days it will surely be on the tracks", they remark. Sport doesn't seem to be a daily hobby of people. "Most of them only know soccer and few practice jog. In the sports stores, fashion items are more numerous than sports equipment". But Polish very welcoming people and the two Angers chaps look have good time there.

If pollution demands less cars in town, Angers city should generalize low fares for all inhabitants

In order to stimulate Angers inhabitants to use collective transportation modes, the municipal council has, before summer, decided to increase the fares of public parking lots. Such an idea could not be sufficient to trigger a change of behaviour. Another way could be possible : to extend to a larger part of the Angers population the benefits of reduced fares presently applicable to persons or families having low incomes.

At normal conditions, a round-trip ticket costs 2,80 euros. Is such a price sufficiently competitive to lead a part of the Angers inhabitants to take the buses instead of their own cars?  But who could, from a material point of view, use his, or her, own car : Angers inhabitants. So Angers inhabitants, whatever be their income, should benefit of reduced fares. Another reason pledges logically for such an extension.

Angers city representatives have repeated that time was come to limit or even reduce the present position of cars in urban traffiec for ecological purposes. If that is true, and at least it is, it would be wise to extend the reduced fares of Irigo to all Angers inhabitants, paying local taxes, because the pollution is not connected to the incomes of Angers households.

Letter from the editor

Angers Daily News publications will be intermittent in the weeks to come. We ask the readers to apologize that situation. Edgar.

"Walls smart" in Angers castle

Credit picture : Iris

2012 could be the year of the re-birth of the Angers castle. After a fire destroyed, on the first days of 2009, the core of the monument, the royal home, that one will be re-opened to visitors after the summer vacations. More recently, a work of restoration of the surrounding walls had been launched and an important step has been achieved with the removal of the scaffholdings from the walls near the Maine river. 

The first result is maybe a little bit disappointing because the walls have not recovered their original aspect. but was it possible? Was it desirable? Probably not. Stone-cutters and masons have restored the joints between the dark schists and the cream freestone what restores a clean but not smooth surface. The solidity of the monument is more perceptible than before.

 Viewed from the right bank, the castle has recovered a part of its previous beauty. But that restoration mackes more incongruous that the giant all which overhang the Maine river is still in a neglected state. The corrugated iron are an insult to the delicate shape of the new roof of the royal logis. The complete restoration of that part of the castle, the most visible from the express way and the future new banks should be the next step to  achieve.

Letter from the editor

Angers Daily News thanks Loding Angers, Loding Saint-Malo and Loding Tours for their kind opinion. Edgar

The Plantagenet petition leads to a man who didn't want to be king

George, father of Edward Plantagenet

Has the Plantagenet dynasty disappeared with the execution, in 1499, of Edward Plantagenet? Maybe not. That unique child had nevertheless a relative, the brother o Edward IV, who had royal blood and was a legitimate child. His descent is still alive, far from England, far from Anjou, in New South Wales, Australia. Jerilderie is the name of the little city where the heir of the Plantagenet dynasty settled in the 60's.

Michaël Abney-Hastings

Michaël Abney-Hastings was a rice farmer. The man was a committed Australian republican and publicly expressed no interest in pursuing his claim to the UK throne, although he was amused by it. Regarding the throne he said he "didn't want it. I am not going to write a letter to the queen saying : you have three weeks to go and you owe me 500 years pension". He died on June 30 of this year.

Simon Abney-Hastings

He had a son, Simon Abney-Hastings, born in 1974 who lives and work for a textile company in the Victorian city of Wangaratta.  Following his father's death, he would become the rightful monarch of England under this alternative path of succession. But he calls himself a "reluctant royal", preferring a cap on his head to a crown, and fiercely protects his privacy. If he hasn't ruled out staking a claim to the monarchy, he recalls the motto of his family, "I Byde My Tyme" adding : "given the Abney-Hastings have had to wait six centuries to stake any claim, a little longer won't make much difference."

[Pictures and quotations are excerpt from Wikipedia]

Plantagenet Petition : the descents of the Anjou dynasty live in Australia

Richard III [Wikipedia]

The Plantagenet petition stirred the curiosity of an Angers Daily News reader. His opinion sent to Adn has brought to the Angers initiative a unforeseen perspective regarding the legimacy of all British monarchs since Edward IV. That one, king of England between 1461 and 1483, was the uncle of Edward Plantagenet for who the Anjou capital, birthplace of the Plantagenet dynasty which ruled England from 1154 to 1485 (331 years), has today launched a petition.

London Tower [wikipedia]

With the accession to the trone of Henry VII, the Tudor dynasty has defeated the Plantagenet. Richard III, the last Plantagenet king, was killed in a battle against Henry VII. The predecessors of Richard III, themselves Plantagenet, are dead. Only one person could catalyse the political opposition against Henry VII : Edward Plantagenet, the last link of the Anjou dynasty. So Henry VII made him imprisoned in London Tower in 1485 and beheaded in 1499. He was 25 years old.

Jerilderie, New South Wales [wikipedia]

Not only that murder was horrible, but it was useless because king Edward IV, after who England torn apart during the Two Roses civil war, had a young brother, legitimate that one, whose descent is still alive... with the Abney-Hastings family who settled at the beginning of the sixties in Jerilderie, Australia...