Location

Surrounded by a castle and cathedral dating back to the twelfth and thirteenth centuries, Angers is the perfect place to discover the heart of France.  Experience the best of the medieval and the modern in this colorful city nestled in the beautiful Loire Valley.  Stroll down cobblestone streets, explore beautiful gardens, and visit museums.  Immerse yourself in French life and culture.

Angers, capital of the ancient county of Anjou, stands majestically on the banks of the River Maine, which feeds the Loire just south of the city with the waters of the Mayenne and Sarthe rivers.  Long known as "Black Angers" for the gloomy-colored slate and stone quarried here since the ninth century, it is actually a very pretty, friendly town, with a lively atmosphere.  One major attraction is the two stunning tapestry series, the fourteenth-century Apocalypse and the twentieth-century Chant du Monde.  The crêpes and gallettes (savory buckwheat crêpes with heartier, less sweet ingredients) in Angers are excellent and should be enjoyed with a refreshing glass of kir, made from crème de cassis (a black currant liquor) and white wine.

Angers is also home to the American Library, an English-language resource and cross-cultural community center that boasts a large collection of loanable works in English.  Many students have participated in activities at or volunteered for the Library, especially for its programs for both English-speaking and French children.

The Loire Valley boasts dozens of wonderful chateaux within a stone's throw of Angers, and the city is also within easy traveling distance of Normandy, Brittany, the French Atlantic Coast, Basque country, and other interesting destinations.  Paris is 90 minutes by high-speed train.  The program organizes a number of very popular excursions to such sites as regional chateaux and the D-Day beaches in Normandy.

The Program Site

The Catholic University of the West is 130 years old: originally a medieval university founded in 1373, it was founded again in 1875, and today has a population of some 12,000 students.  The campus is situated in the city center, a mere five-minute walk from the station and the nearest bus stops; it lies just minutes away from the main shopping area, restaurants, gardens, banks and administrative offices.  The university campus boasts an unusual architectural blend of old and contemporary buildings, standing in a 5-hectare park.  UO participants take the majority of their courses at CIDEF, the university's institute for foreigners, for study of French language and culture.  CIDEF's six-level system accommodates students at all stages of French-language learning.

Back to Top