IMAGES: LES CONTEURS-DESTINATION ANGERS; STOCKFOOD
MORNING
The city’s position gives you easy
access to the excellent Loire à
Vélo, a quiet, car-free cycling
track that follows the Loire. Once
you’ve collected your wheels from
one of the many bike rentals in
the city, pedal out to the village of
Sainte-Gemmes-sur-Loire about
20-minutes’ ride from the centre.
The cycle track passes through
bucolic parkland, then onto a
small Mediterranean garden at
Port-Thibault. Admire the views
of the gently gliding Loire — the
low tide reveals a number of
sandbanks and islands. Stop for
lunch at Le Guinguette de Port-
Thibault, a bar and restaurant that
ofers activities such as boules
and dance lessons.AFTERNOON
Angers is the home of Cointreau,
the liqueur that’s maintained its
glamorous image since it was
invented in 1849. The Cointreau
Distillery ofers guided tours
around the impressive copper
stills and tells the history of how
it was irst concocted by brothers
Edouard-Jean and Adolphe
Cointreau. Explore the exhibition
of the brand’s striking advertising
campaigns, which started with the
clown Pierrot de Cointreau and
moved on to modern stars such as
burlesque legend Dita Von Teese.
The highlight is the tasting room
at the end of the tour where you
can try classic cocktails such as
the Cosmopolitan and the Sidecar.
Reservations are essential.EVENING
Easing gently through the
landscape, a sunset cruise along
the Loire ofers the chance to
admire the relection of the sky
striped with shades of orange,
yellow and purple. Loire Odyssée
ofers a variety of diferent cruises
to choose from depending on
what kind of cruise takes your
fancy; the sunset cruise takes in
the remarkable lora and fauna
along the river, while the aperitif
cruise provides an idyllic setting
for a sundowner. You can also
learn about the region’s excellent
wines as you snack on canapes as
day turns to dusk. Alternatively,
board a dinner cruise, with the
accompanying soundtrack
provided by a live band.DAY TWO BIKE RIDES & SUNDOWNERS
A scenic barge ride
down the LoireTHREE TO TRY
Best sweet
treatsCREMETS D’ANJOU
This blend of egg whites,
fromage blanc (similar to
ricotta) and cream is said to
be like eating a cloud and
was invented by a local cook
in 1890. Local restaurants
often give it an extra zing
with soft fruits for which
the Loire is also known, or
Cointreau, the city’s famous
orange liqueur.BOTTEREAUX
These diamond-shaped,
donut-style pastries are
traditionally served at
Mardi Gras and can be
sweet or salty, though for
something really indulgent,
look for the ones stuffed with
cream or chocolate. They
might also go by the name
tourtisseaux, foutimassons,
bugnes, crouchepettes,
merveille, rondiaux or even
croquignoles when you’re
buying them in bakeries.LE PÂTÉ AUX PRUNES
This plum pie dessert is
traditionally made with
greengages, which have
long been grown in the Loire
Valley. Be careful when you
bite into it — the greengages
are often cooked whole with
their stones left in. Look out
for this delicious treat in the
local boulangeries.April 2020 51WEEKENDER