"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.