National Geographic Traveller UK April 2020

(Dana P.) #1

Guinguettes — the riverside bars
that had their heyday in the 18th,
19th and early 20th centuries
— have made a comeback across
France in recent years and, as
Angers sits astride or near to four
rivers, the city has more than its
fair share of the fun. In the past,
these outdoor hubs were scenes
of revelry and cabaret, but their
21st-century incarnations ofer
this and much more. Many indulge
a new-found love of street food
(the French interpretation means
‘good food’, served fast and
conveniently), while others are
proper restaurants. All Angers’
guinguettes feature shows and
activities — from Bollywood
dancing to country music
— throughout summer. To ind
out what’s on ofer, check the
individual guinguette’s website or
Facebook page for activities.


LE HERON CARRE
Being close to the city centre,
Le Heron Carre enjoys a superb


view of the chateau from the
opposite riverbank. By day, it’s
popular with families enjoying
the surrounding park, and
in the evenings the varied
entertainment includes bongo
drum troupes and salsa dancing
lessons. facebook.com/heroncarre

LA CABANE DU CHAT QUI PÊCHE
This photogenic ‘hut of the
ishing cat that’ is set on the
banks of the Mayenne river and
is a good place to head for if
you’re cycling upstream from
Angers. Ater a lunch of typical
Loire dishes — perch with
beurre blanc sauce or Cointreau
creme brulee — kick back in the
orange deckchairs and enjoy the
sunshine. Sunday aternoons
see DJs playing chill out tracks.
lacabaneduchatquipeche.com

AU FIL DE L’EAU
The sleepy village of Écoulant
used to be a much livelier place in
the 19th century — back then it

was home to several guinguettes
that welcomed revellers who’d
come from Angers along the
Sarthe river by boat. Follow the
same course, cycling the towpath
or on a cruise, then take a table
outside the rustic hut that looks
across the grassy banks towards
the river. If you’re feeling peckish,
there are charcuterie platters and
tapas, plus live music at weekends.
facebook.com/aufildeleauecouflant

GUINGUETTE DE PORT-THIBAULT
Of all the guinguettes that are
dotted in and around the city,
the idyllic location of Guinguette
de Port-Thibault is hard to beat.
Near the village of Saint-Gemmes-
sur-Loire, it opened in July 2019
and overlooks the Loire. The
menu is particularly good, with
various dishes such as pâté and
mushroom risotto as highlights.
Summer nights see diferent
bands take the stage, as well as
activities like samba lessons.
guinguettedeportthibault.fr

DAY THREE GUINGUETTES


MORE INFO
Château d’Angers.
chateau-angers.fr
Nature is Bike.
natureisbike.com
Guinguette de
Port-Thibault.
guinguettedeportthibault.fr
Cointreau Distillery.
cointreau.com
Loire Odyssée river cruises.
loire-odyssee.fr
tourisme.destination
-angers.com

HOW TO DO IT
Fly to Nantes with EasyJet
or Tours with Ryanair, then
take the train to the city’s
main station Angers
Saint-Laud. Hotel 21 Foch
offers doubles from €89
(£75), room only. For budget
stays, the Angers City Kamp
has self-catering cabins
from €69 (£58) a night.
easyjet.com ryanair.com
sncf.com 21foch.fr
citykamp.com

NAME OF THE ROSÉ


The region around
Angers is known as
‘the Anjou’ and has had
historical significance
from the Roman era
through to the Middle
Ages. Now the word
is most often used to
refer to the region’s
wines, of which the
rosé is best known

A busy evening at the popular
Guinguette de Port-Thibault

IMAGE: PORT THIBAULT

52 nationalgeographic.co.uk/travel


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