Stray into Northern France

 

Tuesday, September 23, 2011, at 12.30 after nearly 18 hours of an exhausting journey, and feeling "jet leg", finally.. I set my  foot on a country indentical with wine, cheese, perfume, delicious food and various ancient heritage such as the 1001 castle, and ancient church and other buildings……..France!!!

Once completed all thestuff in Charles de Gaulle Airport, I looked for a train ticket directly to Angers. Gosh… almost all instructions in French!!, Fortunately SNCF directions, are really big and clear, so  easily  to find the train station at Terminal 2D of Charles de Gaulle. Go to the counter SNCF with stuttered French (I learn only for 3 months French at CCF Jakarta). I encourage myself to find out eventually, I got a ticket TGV  to Angers at 15:45 but I have to transit at Le Mans.

TGV

I was directed to go down to  voie (line) 4, to be honest… I didn’t really understand the instructions described by SNCF officials. Moreover, she spoke very quickly. In Voie 4 very quiet person ... .. a few minutes  came the TGV, which was quite strange indeed, I went directly to the people who will rise to the TGV, because my French "bad" then I ask to use the English language blindly "Is it go to Le Mans? " they (probably they didn’t understand what I was saying) answered " Oui ... " Immediately I picked up my two suitcases to the TGV. Once aboard,  I felt something is wrong .... It is true, when I saw the monitor on top . That’s right!!! This train isn’t go to Le Mans or Nantes .... But  to Lille-STRASBORG (Means I'm into Northern France ... Not to the West / Nantes) oh lala ...

Cite U Belle-Beille

PARIS NORD arrived at 18:00 hours, I had to run back to the ticket counter because, according to Sebastian (the Controller on last TGV)  there was direct TGV to Angers at 18:45, I thought  I still have 45 minutes to rest while waiting TGV to Angers, I was totally wrong, I thought  the TGV will direct  PARIS NORD  to Angers.. but the fact  I had to run with my all staff to MONTPARNASEE, I caught the subway  line no 4 that led MONTPARNASEE , many times I noticed  the hands  in my watch, at 18:30 I arrive at MONTPARNASEE, I followed the directions to the station sign SCNF, gossth,  I had to run and climb the escalator with 2 big suitcases  ...., ohh .. my hand  strong were shaking to when lifted the weight of my bag, but I forced so that I can catch the TGV to Angers 18:45. On the second floor of La Gare MONTPARNASEE I saw the board of directions, it turned out that the TGV to Nantes via ST-Laud Anger at Voie 3 .... hurryyyy  my time 2 minutes left. Hupp.. exactly 1 minute I was in front of the TGV, directly I lift up my big suitcase into the voiture (the platform). Alhamdulliah ... .. I wiped out  the sweat “looks like corn”  from my  forehead and my neck ....

20:30 pm sharp .... The sun had long gone .... Jet leg, hungry, sleepy blended together ... finally arrived in Anger St-Laud, while waiting for Cedric (friend from Indonesia), I call Mme MC. Bonneau. She  was advised to immediately go to the A la Cite Universitaire in Belle-beille ... wow where is it?. Fortunately, in few minute after, Cedric came, he accepted my request to see dormitory first, at the Belle-beille, I was surprised to see a small room measuring 9m ² that would be where I lived for 3 years ... .. Especially the toilets and shower size 1/2m ² (so it can stand up shower only). Almost similar to my cabin while on a cruise ship seven years ago .... I accepted an offer from Cedric to stay 1-2 days in his Apartment advance.

Interesting Place  in Angers

First and second day, I stayed at  Cedric’s  Apartment, while adapting and sight seeing down-town of Angers, a small town which became the capital of Maine et Loire is located 300km southwest of Paris. with a population of ± 157,000, and  283,000 live in urban areas. Local residents known as "Angervin"
The city is very famous as a producer of fruits such as Apple and Pear, while also as a producer of fresh cut flowers. There are many attractions to visit around the city such as;

Chateau d'Angers

Actual chateau had stood since the roman inhabit this area, because of its strategic positioning, however since Philip II conquered this region, he built a large chateau in the early part of the 13th century by his grandson, Louis IX ("Saint Louis").

Chateau d'Angers

Chateau d'Angers looks very sturdy and stately, with an area of ​​600 m (2,000 ft), which is surrounded by huge walls and 17 towers, each of the 40m high but cut after for the use of artillery, the Tour du Moulin is the only tower preserved with original height , chateau wall covering 6.17 acres (25,000 m²). Two pairs of the tower side of the main entrance. From the front of the chateau we can look to freely look at over side  the river "La Maine" includes interesting  buildings  such as; Le Quai des Art Forum Vivants,  Eglise de la Trinite,  Musee Jean Lurcatet. And  Pont de Verdum  the main bridge separating the two parts of this city.

Cathedral St.Maurice

Cathedral St.Maurice

Cathedral of Angers located in heart of the city and only a few hundred yards from the Chateau d'Angers, the Church was built on the initiative of the pastor Normand de Doué and Guillaume de Beaumont, in the year 1032. Church with Gothique architecture is very easily recognizable of the two high tower (90.47 m) looming, it may become the tallest building in the city of Angers. And further down we will see ''esplanade du Ligny port'' a beautiful water fountain located just side the river la Maine.

Esplanade du Ligny port

 Maison d'Adam, Adam's

Just behind the cathedral we can see The House of Adam, also known as the home of Adam and Eve and the Tree of Life, is a half-timber house, which is the intersection of the road Montault Place Sainte-Croix in the heart of Angers, this building is the testimony of medieval architectural heritage still exist today, since it was built around the year 1500. We can also see some similar buildings in the Rue de l'Oisellerie.

Maison d'Adam

Place Raillement

Place Raillemment

La Place du Ralliement is a place becomes a meeting point  for almost all of everyday society Angers, a large field of cement and stood right in front of “The Grand Theater”  magnificent building, which is also often the Galerie d'exposition, still around La place du Ralleiment, one can find famous  shopping centre and the largest galleries  in Angers namely Lafayette, and several other boutique such as: Tati, Nature et Découvertes, Bata, Fnac, Eveil & Jeux, Eram, and also several cafés and restaurants

City Without “Traffic jam”  and without knowing  Late ''Jam Karet”

Contrary to Jakarta, which must be stressful every day  to face traffic jam and pollution from vehicle exhaust fumes. In this city, the traffic is very orderly and very minimal vehicle produce a weight of lead waste, addition of people prefer to use public transport, from buses and trams are very comfortable and integrated, the Irigo company which is a subsidiary Keolis, became the only transportation company  in this city very  prioritize security and convenience services.

Tram "Irigo"

All modes of transport are highly integrated, and the arrival and departure schedules posting in every bus stop / tram and so ''on time''.  Even if its late no more than  2minutes! It very contradictive in Indonesia that could be late more than 1 hour

Cycle at  Place Raillement

There are 13 bus lines that serve the traffic within the city, and 12 lines  that connect with the suburb city of Angers areas, bus and tram operates from dawn to midnight. A one-way ticket costs 1.40 E, which is valid for 1.5 hours, but if you use your subscription tickets just pay 38E per month and can be use as much as you want.

It is very good example and enviable is the support provided by local government town of Angers, to encourage pollution-free transportation, “bicycling”. It can be seen from the bike rental facilities are ''free of charge'', So don’t be surprised if you'll see a lot of people using bicycle on the streets, not only that, a special track for bike is very orderly and neat  along the main streets in the city of Angers .

Students City

In the city of Angers there are ± 26,000 people students derived partly outside cities Angers, they studied at two major universities, namely the Catholic University, (Université Catholique de L'Ouest ) and Universite d’Angers, It also has some upper secondary schools (lycées).

Class Amphitheater in Univ d'Angers

So do not be surprised if Friday afternoon you’ll see so many students who went to campus with carrying large suitcases, so that after college they will immediately go to the train station, for a vacation or go to nearby towns. I was asked to one of the students who carry large suitcases while returning from his hometown .. "it’s huge suitcase, right off just two days (Saturday-Sunday)?" The answer is very common sense for boarding student, "the contents of this bag is dirty clothes to be washed at home, and returned to the dorm had clean clothes "

Used Market

My hobby to know a new place, made me interest to see the traditional markets. In Angers, a traditional market place it pleasure to spend a week end. Moreover, cleanliness and variety of colorful wares directly attacking the eye and invites our curiosity. Located in the center town of Angers, Le Grand Marché du Centre-Ville (Leclerc place, place Imbach)

Used Things

The markets here are very organized and grouped in the category of goods on offer ranging from groups of vegetables and fruit, clothing and textile group, meat group, dairy (milk, cheese, yoghurt) and fish as well as seafood. And most impressive is the group used goods. All stalls only open to regular tarps or even without a roof. I visited a traditional market every Saturday this is the greatest market of the other traditional markets in Angers - Loire dept (district level). There, the merchants simply hold and show his wares in a large field Imbach Place and Place Lecrec is right in the center of Angers ..
This traditional market, do not expect to buy snacks or chps, which can eat while shopping in markets like Indonesia. Here don’t know junk food, if any fast food is “kebab”, the rest just “Banquette” (clubs bread A'la France) sandwich. In addition to all foodstuffs, as usual, the traditional market is also a place to sell clothing items, stuff the body and skin health, and of course the beauty.

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And the most interesting for me was visiting the market that offer used goods, (so remember the flea market in Park Puring-Jakarta) here sold a variety of items, ranging from used books, used kitchen equipment, agricultural equipment, clothing, CD / DVD / turn-tables, tables, chairs  to antiques ... So do not be surprised if here is a collection of thrift could cost ranging from 1  to 500€

Don’t get angry if witnessing a fierce style of French seller and aloof. Their principles "Take or leave it" For example: when we're busy selecting and fondle the goods, when we ask the price, the seller suddenly busy talking with his friend, we will be in the cool-ins, very different from the traditional markets in Indonesia the seller chuckled, even sometimes laced with crap ... while offering his wares.

Sunday - Monday, Close Stores!

Eram Boutique

It sounds a bit strange, but it happen, every Sunday (mostly all the shops) around the town of Angers,  is closed, very unlike in Indonesia, where Sunday is the day that awaited by the shopkeepers, because Sunday is usually the number of buyers more and more. Neither by Monday, only a few shops are open, but luckily the stores that sell food only closed Sundays only.

One more don’t be surprised if you will be denied visiting the stores or banks, when meals arrived (at 12.00) you will be asked to wait until after lunch time, 14:00 hours (1 hour longer than the in Indonesia).