This will be the third and final post highlighting my three favorite French chateaux from the Loire Valley in France. Built on a ridge, high above the Main River, lies the Château d’Angers. 
This incredible feudal fortress with its seventeen massive towers, measures nearly 600 m (2,000 ft.) in circumference and boasts walls almost 10 ft. thick.
Originally constructed by the Counts of Anjou in the 9th century, it became part of the Angevin empire of the Plantagenet of Kings of England in the 12th century. When Philip II conquered the area in 1204, his son Louis IX (“Saint Louis”) expanded the chateau to its current size. It’s been estimated that in 1234, construction costs totaled nearly one per cent of the royal revenue at the time.
Today the castle is owned by the city of Angers. Inside the forbidding castle walls, you’ll find charming gardens, buildings, aviaries, a menagerie and the famous Apocalypse tapestry. I am pleased to say that my family and I toured this chateau in 2001. It was an another unforgettable experience. The two photos to the right were taken by me during that trip.
If you would like to read more about my early experiences in France in 1979 and 1980, you can purchase my eBook or paperback at Amazon by clicking on this link, French Illusions, My Story as an American Au Pair in the Loire Valley The audiobook version is also available at Audible.co
What a magnificent castle and chateau, Linda! It really is astonishing that it has survived all these centuries!