Quartier Saint-Aubin

The Tour Saint-Aubin is one of the oldest and tallest landmarks in the centre of Angers, and it gives its name to the district around it. It is the surviving bell tower of the Abbaye Saint-Aubin, a Benedictine monastery founded in the early Middle Ages and dedicated to Saint Aubin, a bishop of Angers in the sixth century. The abbey became one of the wealthiest and most important religious houses in Anjou, and its lands and privileges shaped the layout of this part of the old town. After the Revolution the church was demolished, and today the tower stands almost alone, rising above the roofs near the Place du Ralliement.

The tower dates from the twelfth century and has the solid, almost severe look of Romanesque military and religious architecture. It is built of the pale local tuffeau limestone mixed with the dark schist of the Anjou region, a combination that gives the stonework a patchwork of light and dark tones, and that is a signature of buildings in Angers. The walls are thick, with few openings, and the upper floors carry rounded windows. The lower floors were later used for different purposes, and the abbey buildings next to it were converted into administrative offices, so the tower now stands beside buildings in a classical style.

The tower is open to visitors as a place for temporary exhibitions. The ground floor is free and has a changing programme of shows, often combining contemporary art and local history, while higher floors may be opened to visitors for a modest fee during exhibitions. The simple groin vault on the first floor is one of the features that can be seen. When the upper floors are accessible, climbing the stairs rewards you with panoramic views of the city, including the dark mass of the cathedral and the towers of the castle. Opening hours depend on the exhibition programme, so check with the tourist office before planning a visit.

The district itself is pleasant for a walk. Narrow streets lead from the tower to the main shopping streets and to Place du Ralliement, with its theatre and cafés, and the old town spreads out toward the Cathédrale Saint-Maurice on the hill. The Château d'Angers, with the great Apocalypse Tapestry in the Musée de la Tapisserie de l'Apocalypse, is the main reason many visitors come to Angers, and it is within walking distance. The Musée des Beaux-Arts d'Angers and the Musée Jean Lurçat et de la Tapisserie Contemporaine are also nearby, as is the Musée de la Magie.

The tour and its surroundings suit visitors who like to combine architecture with modern art, and they make a calm contrast to the busier sights of the town. Plan about thirty minutes for the tower and the exhibition.