The French Angers born first lady went up to the G8 summit on "towering heels"

Credit Picture France 24

If the French president went up to the G8 summit, the French Angers born First Lady Valérie Trierweiler did it too. On "vertiginous heels" titled one of the numerous Us media which covered the first visit of the French presidential couple to Washington. The "Mail Online" looks to laugh about  "The girlfriend of France's new president [who for] her first official appearance at the G-8 first ladies' club... toured the White House in a pair of towering heels". 


The shoes of Mrs Trieweiler apparently suprised the editors who detected a attempt to be "as tall as Mrs Obama though, who [nevertheless] towered above all of her guests, despite the fact that she wore a sensible pair of flat shoes".The status of Mrs Trieweiler still intriguates the French English speaking press which described the "French unwed lady [as] demure and elegant".

Through Mrs Trierweiler who work herself a editor in the weekly Paris-Match, Angers maybe get an important prescriber who could help to promote the city. Few cities have such an asset. And no members of the government has such a freedom.

The archives of Angers mystery are in the gardens'museums at night

In spite of, or because of, the rainy weather which prevailed (and still prevails) over the Angers area, the inhabitants didn't stayed avay from the openings of Angers public museums for the 8th European Night of Museums. That year, the public met a wise association of the collections of the Angers museums, the Saint-John Hospital, the Toussaint Gallery and the Fine-Arts Museum with classical and contemporary music but also the floodlightings of their gardens.

It was maybe in these deserted places that the charm of the event the most operated. In the Fine-Arts Museum gardens, hundreds of candles had been set up along the paths what gave to the place a mysterious and solemn aspect. In the Saint-John Hospital cloister, blue and green lights concealed in the architecture created in the square medicinal gardens the quiet and mystical atmosphere the patients hosted there before their recovery or their death met for hours, days, months or years...

What was the most surprising and encouraging caracteristic was the mix of all generations of visitors throughout the galleries. Its is possible that art needs to be accompanied with cultural packaging to catch the interest of people. After a travel in history and mystery, a night was necessary for them as a lock before their wake up in daily reality. 

Rainy day for the daisies'ladies

It was an awful weather all Saturday long in Angers. As heavy rains dropped on the city, few people were in the streets and so in the stores. Even the few African pedlars always set up in front of the Mail gardens had even decided to pick up their items. Only a single "trader" nevertheless stayed on the pavement that gloomy afternoon. Immobile during hours, the most old and ancient pedlar of the Angers main street was in place.

At the corner of Alsace street and Foch boulevard, the old woman sells, for years, flowers for a few coins. Badly sheltered by umbrellas against the rain and the wind, she is snuggled up against a bakery which diffuses smells of cakes and a little heat. The woman's eyes are cloudy. She doesn't pay attention to the passer-by whose legs are the only movements of the monotonous movie she (maybe) distinguishes. 

Near her, there is a little bucket with two puny bouquets of daisies which looks as sad as their owner. The passer-by who buys one does more a charity than a purchase. A woman comes near her and give one euro. The old lady holds out a bouquet the "client" does not accept : "Keep it, you will sell it later", she says before crossing the streets, her mind probably sadler than the weather.

An Angers former inhabitant in the headlines of Us medias

Since a few days in France, a former Angers inhabitant has became famous. Valérie Trierweiler, whose family still lives in the Monplaisir , the northern district of the midwestern city is, since a few days on the national scene. And now on the Us stage because, as companion of François Hollande, the new French republic president, she pays visit to the White House. And nothing of what is related to the White House escape to the attention of Us medias.

Apparently, the conjugal status of Mrs Trierweiler is what intriguate the Us medias : "First lady without a portfolio (or a ring) seeks her own path" titled recently the New York Herald Tribune while Abc news writes "Protocol problem : France's new first lady is not married to the president". The main difference between France and the Us is, in the second country, nothing which touches politics is out the public domain.

The opinions of American newspapers are not unfavourable to Mrs Trierwieler. The New York Fashion points out she "buys her clothes from stores, like any normal person would". Some consider that she has temper : " French president's partner dubbed the new iron lady", according to Reuter what could signal a kind of cohabitation at the highest level in France (Credit picture www. Elysee.fr).

The Technicolor employees express their anger in English

While Angers officials think to the economic future of the city - the cultural sector, the environment field and also the electronic industry - a famous brand is dying. Technicolor, formerly known as Thomson, a tv sets manufacture which employed more than 3 000 persons more than two decades ago, gives very sad prospects to its workers. They made public their anxiety and anger in a placard set up on the fences of the company site, located on Birgé boulevard. 

"Yes we Cannes destroy", they wrote. It's a double allusion to the catch-phrase of Barack Obama during its electoral campaign in 2008 for the Us presidency and to the present international films festival of Cannes because Technicolor produces technologies for the films industry. The Technicolor employees look to have written in English that warning as if they were convinced to be ignored by the French authorities...

By a curious coincidence, the same week, the new French government appointed a minister of productive recovery. That one should come soon in Angers because there, events could accelerate. The next placard could be "Save our souls".

Angers mayors bets on competitiveness to develop the local economy

In a web talk on May 14th, the Angers mayor unveiled his opinion about the method to fight unemployement in the city. The key-word is competitiveness. "All our decisions must create the conditions of economic attractiveness on our territory. We act to attract new companies, to support very dynamic local industries, vegetable, electronics, providence", says Mr Beatse who says he meets regularly businessmen in order "to create with them the necessary confidence to investment".


Apparently, the mayor believes that with the tourism he wants to increase through the Berges de Maine scheme) " the cultural economy " is another field containing opportunities for the city : music, graphism and design are quoted. But no dialogue in the web talk mentioned the traditional sectors of the local economy.


One of the ambition of the mayor is to lead the city to a higher level of fame. For that reason, he thinks to revive the project of a local tv (whic knew several failure in the past) and dedicate interest to the connections of the Angers territory with foreign destinations, quoting the new line Angers-London.

The Angers tourism policy toward England on the runway

Is Angers an island? With the return of the tourism season, Angers Loire Airport resumes its business. In May, two lines open : one toward Nice, another toward London. After several months without regular flights, these openings are good news even if the true stake is their durability. That would not be the first time an attempt fails in establishing stable connections between Angers and others cities. 

The Angers Loire Métropole believes in the success of that new departure : " We want to display our ambition and our success model", says Jean-Claude Antonini, the president of the territorial authority, "These new lines will be an asset for our business and leisure tourism". The problem is, up to now, the content of Angers tourism policy was not very clear. It seems, through the opening of the connection toward London, the twinning with Austin, the choice of the Angers Loire Valley brand and the late Artaq festival clearly inspired by the US yarn bombing, there is a guiding line directed toward the conquest of an English speaking market. 

So the opening of a connection toward London looks more consistent than the line toward Nice (even with its famous Walkway of the English). It seems that the BA subsidiary, Cityflyer, which will operate the new destination from Angers, there is confidence, or at least, a will to develop the number of passengers (the one way ticket starts at 62 £). New settings of the little Angers airport will be deployed on time before the inaugural flight. It would be appropriate to hoist the Union Jack.

New elections, old faces

After the city has been covered by portraits of the candidates running for French presidency, other faces have replaced them for the next legislative ballots. Some new faces are appearing and other are still there. That's the case in two of the constituencies of Maine-et-Loire where candidates compete, one for his 5th mandate and another for his 6th mandate... in the French national assembly. In France, a congressman's mandate lasts six years. 

Crédit picture : National Assembly

It could be possible (but not sure) Angers electorate be weary and choice, in spite of political trends, new faces. There are seven constituencies in Maine-et-Loire (all, presently, won by men). Two congressmen were in their first mandate. Three have been elected in 2002. And two have been elected since more than twenty years. 

It has been said that the election of François Hollande at the French presidency was partially due to the simple desire of change of the electorate to have a new president. The defeat in the next ballots of these two proeminent figures would confirm that state of mind.

Changes regarding the development of Angers down town could be considered

With the first sunny weekend in Angers since more than six weeks, pedestrians had invaded on Saturday the mall of down town. The cafes and stores saw a lot of people and got probably a honourable turnover. The Ralliement square, already crowded, hosted kiosks of bikers associations eager to promote that mode of transport, both ecological and inexpensive. The interest of the Angers inhabitants could be real because, on the afternoon, the militants for bicycle welcomed a lot of people. Other kiosks, in Lenepveu street, were booked by cycles stores owners able to catch the interest of potential customers. The conjugation of numerous passers-by and animation in that part of the town may give ideas to the Angers municipal council. 

According to one of its members, a survey is on way to give to the core of Angers a special status. Already partially dedicated to pedestrians and bikers, the idea consists in enhancing the signage of the mall, to reduce the authorized speed to 30 km/h and maybe to extend the pedestrian zone. So the status and the design of some streets (Lices street, Plantagenet street along others) could change. And urban policy would not be the only stake. 

Some surveys would demons- trate more the mall is enlarged and dedicated to pedestrians, more the turnover of down town stores is important. In times of severe competition with commercial centers and recently the commercial park Atoll, city hall doesn't want to see the asphyxia of the core of Angers. The flux of customers could be increased because more than 4 000 cars per day follow the Lices and Plantagenet streets. If the interest of the store owners, town council and inhabitants join themselves, change could be "at the corner of the street".

A boat race on Maine in the course of Oxford-Cambridge

A British touch event has been organized on the Maine river on Tuesday by some sport sections of the Angers university : a rowing competition. An Angers media which reported the news immediately pointed out that such an event recalled the famous Oxford-Cambridge boat race. The participants, about both teachers, employees and students, came from the several sections (medecine, law, litterature...) of the Angers university. The race took place where the river goes across the city, like the Thames in London. 

The initiative is revealing about the interest of the Angers inhabitants for their river and gives some legitimacy to the "Maine new banks", town hall has decided to implement. Or course, the rowing race didn't attracted a lot of people what suggest that it should be planned during a week end for its next edition. Maybe the calendar of the event should copy the Oxford-Cambridge event, generally planned in march or april (the 2012 edition was organized durung a Saturday). 

What could be the elements for the success of the Angers university's initiative? One of the ingredient could be the size of the boat. In the English race, the boats host 8 rowers and a coxswain while in Angers 4 rowers were on board. This influence of course the size and the spped of the boats and therefore enhance the dramatic aspect of the race. The main reason of the world fame is probably due to the technical level of the rowers. Compared to their British counterpart, the Angers teams should start to train right now. (Credit pictures Angers Nautique Aviron and The Boat Race)

The sharp decline of sales of real estate worry companies and local representatives

According to observers and Angers representatives, the real estate activity is in sharp decline since the beginning of the year. According to local medias, around 900 flats and houses are "for sale" in the city and don't meet buyers. If, traditionnaly, electoral periods are not favourable to the purchase of real estate due to legal conditions which may change between before and after the ballots, this time the political period could not be the only responsible for this lack of interest. 

The economic crisis in Angers and everywhere may explain the situation because it shortens the visibility of people who need confidence in their future to involve themselves in such schemes. But some of the local banks are not eager to grant loans because international laws lead them to be more cautious on the risks they take. 

Some of the Angers political responsibles notice that several real estate promotors have recently decided to postpone the launching ot new building because those will not be sold in short time. If, a few years ago, many private promotors had sold their programs to social housing organizations, such an initiative could not be renewed today because the crisis has dried out the financial reserves. Because the activity in construction is declining, national groups are eager to compete for local projects, depriving the local companies.

English spoken in Angers municipal meetings

It's surely an anecdote and not a news but, in a public meeting dedicated to the start of a study on the urbanistic face of Angers in the 15 years to come, the presence of English words was a surprise. The city looks, subconsciously, attracted by English vocabulary and universe. On a document distributed to the participants gathered on May 9th at the Greniers Saint-Jean the famous English red telephone booth located in down town was visible. It illustrated a title about the "Angers Loire Valley" attractiveness...

But that presence of English was not unique. During a little video displaying the goals and constraints of the urbanistic local plan, the audience had heard a female voice saying (in English) "Angers is my favourite place. It's really what you call "La vie en grand" (Live large)" with the traditional accent. Well known in Angers, "My favourite place" is a tea room located in L'Espine street where "English (is only) spoken".

The voice made also an allusion to the next shortening of the distance London-Angers thanks to a new flight due to open between the tow cities at the end of that month. With the "yarn bombing" (an American set phrase) used during the present Artaq Festival, the city heads toward closer references to English world.

Through a new congress center, Angers unveils big ambitions in business tourism

The wide and empty space between the Le Quai theatre and the Front de Maine buildings could be the symbol of the present situation of the Angers tourism policy : an opportunity to seize. The field was, nearly twenty years ago, chosen to host the new "préfecture de Maine-et-Loire". But the project was never realized because, the French public finances, already at that time, was in bad conditions. It was said that an hotel could be erected there but no company answered yes. 

Credit picture Angers city

Angers town council has recently nominated four architects to devise plans of a new congress center with an hotal and is due to choose the laureat in 2013. That initiative of the city is appropriate but raise questions about the capacity of local finances to support the costs of the scheme. Undoudtedly, those buildings could fit perfectly with the long term Maine banks reconquest which could finally have a double finality : the former one, the reunification of the city around its river and a new one, the attractiveness of the city for tourists. 

Since more than a year, the city has decided to think to a new policy of tourism which is considered as an full-fledged economic activity. The brand "Angers Loire Valley" and recently the twinning with Austin, the state capital of Texas are indications of the ambition of the city in that fleld. The mayor, Frédéric Beatse, didn't hidden the city ambitions. 

" That new equipment will allow us to develop a center of excellence in business tourism. The financial fallout are estimated at about 50 millions euros per year and are essential for our economy and employment. Our goal is double them", he said. That could make necessary more flexibility in the Angers vision regarding the no working days.

The statements of Angers representatives do not predict consensus for the years to come

The statements of Angers representatives after the outcome of the French presidential elections from the left and the right parties do not augur the appeased relationships the country may need to tackle its economic and financial difficulties. In spite of the legitimate happiness or sadness after the results, most of the Angers political personnalities of both sides reacted to the event in partisan terms. Some of them nevertheless analysed the consequences for France once the elction period will be over. 

The men of the right camp have their eyes already fastened on the next legislative elections seeking there an opportunity of a better balance between left and right. "It is necessary to stay watchful, the legislative elections are coming. They must allow us to recover". Hervé de Charette is already in the tactic : "What is important now, it's the legislative elections. An union of right and center must take place in every constituency". Marc Laffineur, minister, is the most political : "There is now a third ballot". Others, like Michel Piron, congressman, wishes "People will elect congressmen thinking to the collective effort there is to do". 

On the left side, some, like Jean-Claude Antonini, former Angers mayor, are lyrical : "The victory is a big hope. In the years to come, the youth will get more hope. Our country will evolve with more freedom. Decisions will be made up collectively". But he also the harshest, saying, "Nicolas Sarkozy was not up to the task ". According to Frédéric Beatse, his successor, the new president "has demonstrated its ability to develop projects" even if he has now to carry them out.

End of the presidential campaign in Angers between evening and "mourning"

The 2012 presidential campaign ended quietly in Angers on May 6th. Once delivered, the result didn't precipitate in the streets many people even if, by some aspects, that evening was not an ordinary one. In the suburbs of the city reigned the same quiet ambiance as during the ordinary Sundays. Only from time to time some drivers celebrated the outcome with continuous klaxons and warnings. 

For the supporters of former president, the atmosphere wasn't of course lively. A fifty of them were gathered for a drink at the Angers headquarter of the Union pour la république (Ump) in Rabelais street, discreetly monitored by a police car at little distance. But, its maybe in the unofficial gathering that the sadness was the most visible. A group of young people assembled on a balcony at a building on Foch boulevard had opened the windows of the flat from where were highly audible the exerpts of pledges of their leader Nicolas Sarkozy. 

Or course, the ambiance were quite different on Thiers street where supporters celebrated the victory of François Hollande, speeding down drivers and brandishing flags of the elected president. Some neighbours watched the scene some curious and others bothered by the noise. In Ralliement square, the most ugly face of French (political?) mood with people shouting their joy to see Nicolas Sarkozy "ousted". With the return to work on next day, that kind of behaviour will probably diasppear like the electoral documents scattered in pieces on the pavements ready to be swept out as soon as the first hours of the morning.

The Saint-Martin Institution, still young at fifty

One of the "institutions" of Angers in the field of education celebrated on May 5th its fifty anniversary. The Saint-Martin institution, elementary school, college and lycée, hosted in the lycéeyard located on Foch boulevard its former pupils and their parents, some of them former pupils too. "I am always astonished to see the position some of our fellow students have got after their studies here", says a former corporate manager, now retired. Saint-Martin institution trained many persons having now a leading position in the city and beyond.

A lot of class pictures dating from the sixties were displayed on the walls of the covered playground among press coverages on the different activities of the institution : winter or summer camps in France or in Europe, departures and nominations at the head of Saint-Martin. Serveral barnums were set up in the courtyard where parents, all a little bit older, welcomed others families whose chidren are or were pupils there. That return to school met the return with their own youth.

The pictures on the wall reveal the changes of the Angers society since fifty years and it would have been interesting to point out that. Under a large barnum, tables were set up for a dinner between parents of former or present pupils and former or present teachers. The place under the grey sky which reigns over Angers and its inhabitants' mind since a month didn't fade the lively aspects of the place, still young at fifty years old.

Angers cyclists on central square next May 12th

Angers municipal council will organize on May 12th a day for the promotion of the use of bike in town. Obviously that kind of transportation has became popular among inhabitants but the construction or the laying out of lanes only dedicated to bikers is necessary simply because bikers are more vulnerable than drivers. Some of others developments in the streets are dangerous as the pavements slightly higher than the streets (picture).

Most of the cyclists in Angers complain about the behavior of drivers of cars - or buses - who don't give them the space they need to travel. If some drivers run close to the pavements, others park their vehicule on cyclable lanes even in the opposite direction. They do that because most of the time they never use bike themselves. 

The best way to enhance the position of bicycles in Angers is to make them, in time of travel, more efficient than cars on routes people cover every day for school, office or shopping. The bikers are not themselves always respectful of pedestrians in town. So an effort has to be made first in minds. First of all a bicycle day organized by the city should lead the city to dedicate to the only bikers the use of the Angers streets that day. (Picture Angers city)

Angers inhabitants invited to shape their territory for the years to come

Angers city is, step by step, recovering the postponement of the cancellation, in 2009 by the administrative courts, of a major urban document dedicated to shape the face of its territory for the years to come. In order to prevent any risk of challenging that policy by environmental communities, on a legal or a political basis, the promotors of the urban local plan (Plu in French) will launch, from May 9th, a serie of meetings with Angers inhabitants in order to allow the emergence of the collective wishes. That meeting will take place in the Saint-John Lofts. 

The aim of the Plu is to guarantee the sustainable development of Angers and its suburbs, through the balance of homes and agricultural fields and natural places, the dynamism of the economic zones with an offer of collective transportation systems as well as road network. After a diagnostic of the situation, now comes to time for choices of which the consequences for the different parts of the territory will depend. The most concret step of the process will start from september because in every district of Angers with the inventory of all the expectations of their inhabitants.

Jersey recruits tourists in Angers

Is Jersey Island inspiring Angers inhabitants? The office of tourism of that Channel island has recently launched a campaign in town to attract tourists along the Foch boulevard, the main street of the city. In fact, the tiny UK territory is at about 230 kms from Angers.

Indirectly, Angers and Jersey have an historical connection. The Edit de Nantes, the royal measure decided by king Henry 4th in 1598, was drawn up in Angers; When that law was canceled by Louis XIV, the French protestants, the Huguenots from the Loire Valley decided to leave their kingdom and settled in Jersey.

The problem (for French) is Jersey has not choosen the euro and the change is not favourable to continental. Another English destination is competing with Jersey, the London city itself  from the end of May. So the Angers inhabitants could prefer a visit in the core of England than in a Channel island even if all French influence has vanished since a long time.

An island of green and friendship in Angers city

If, with Saint-Aubin island, Angers has a nice nest of wildlife, the inhabitants may find charming places where nature and charm are saved from noise, pollution and crowd. Near the new Desjardins district, a narrow and sinuous path is hidden behind a wooden gate. Once opened, the door lets discover a countryside track. Fences disappear under flowers and fruit trees. The way benefits of the shadow given by the vegetation what adds intimacy and secret.

After the heavy rains of the late days, the place is full of delicate fragances. The pace of the cars has disappeared. There are only the songs of the birds. Little homes surrounded by tiny gardens are visible and their entrances are opened, like an invitation to the walkers for a short time to take benefit of a parentesis of silence and rest. Other places looks like simple gardens for leisures.

The families living there seem eager to keep the place a natural look : the place is a patchwork of little fields planted with wild flowers or vegetables. Apparently few persons know the existence of that place where persons look  to know each others. One of the home displays little wooden boards with English sentences like "Do one thing everyday that makes you happy". So nature is not the only distinctive aspect of the place, the close relationships between its inhabitants are maybe its most valuable quality.