Maine-et-Loire

Maine-et-Loire is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on 4 March 1790, mostly out of the southern portion of the former province of Anjou.^[4] Originally it was called Mayenne-et-Loire, but its name was changed to Maine-et-Loire in 1791. Its present name is drawn from the rivers Maine and Loire, which meet within the department.

Maine-et-Loire is part of the current region of Pays de la Loire. The principal city is Angers, the seat of a bishopric and of a court of appeal.^[4]

It has a varied landscape, with forested ranges of hills in the south and north separated by the valley of the Loire. The highest point is Colline des Gardes at 210 m (690 ft). Part of the Loire Valley UNESCO World Heritage Site lies in Maine-et-Loire.^[5]

The area has many navigable rivers such as the Loire, Sarthe, Mayenne, Loir, and Authion.

Principal towns

The most populous commune is Angers, the prefecture. As of 2019, there are 6 communes with more than 20,000 inhabitants:^[3]

The inhabitants of Maine-et-Loire have no official qualifier. They are sometimes known as Angevins, from the former province of Anjou, or Mainéligériens, from the name of the department.^[6]

Population development since 1801:

The president of the Departmental Council is Florence Dabin, elected in July 2021.

Current National Assembly Representatives

Châteaux of the Loire Valley

• Château de Montsoreau.^[10][11]
• Royal Abbey of Fontevraud.
• Château de Brissac.
• Château de Saumur.
• Château d'Angers.
• Château de Brézé.

Anjou traditions

• The largest vineyard of the Loire Valley.
• The boule de fort, the traditional boules game in Anjou

Angers and around:

• The Angers castle and the Apocalypse Tapestry, the largest tapestry in the world.
• The Cointreau museum, in Saint-Barthélemy-d'Anjou
• The Château de Brissac, the tallest castle of the Loire Valley.
• The crooked spires in Baugé region.

Saumur and around:

• The Cadre Noir, one of the most famous horsemanship school in the world.
• Montsoreau Flea Market is the largest Flea Market in the Loire Valley taking place every second Sunday of the month.^[12][13][14]
• Château de Montsoreau-Museum of contemporary art, featuring the Philippe Méaille Collection, largest collection of works by the British conceptual artists, Art & Language.^[15][16][17]
• The Royal Abbey of Fontevraud and the graves of the House of Plantagenet, including Richard I of England.
• The Tank museum of Saumur, which display the largest tank collection in France.
• Around Saumur, the largest concentration of troglodyte house in Europe.

Cholet and around:

• The textile museum of Cholet, and the creation of the famous red and white handkerchief.
• The Château de Touvois
• The Parc Oriental de Maulévrier, the largest Japanese garden of France

Segré and around:

• The fortified city of Pouancé and its medieval castle.
• The Blue Mine, a slate mine, with a funicular which goes 130 meters under the surface.
• The National stud of Le Lion-d'Angers, which host every year Le Mondial du Lion
• The Château de Challain-la-Potherie

• 
  Château d'Angers
• 
  Saumur
• 
  Cadre Noir
• 
  Fontevraud Abbey
• 
  Montreuil-Bellay
• 
  Château de Montsoreau-Museum of Contemporary Art

• Cantons of the Maine-et-Loire department
• Communes of the Maine-et-Loire department
• Arrondissements of the Maine-et-Loire department
• Anjou wine

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Maine-et-Loire.

• (in French) Prefecture website
• (in French) Departmental Council website
• (in English) Anjou Tourism Board website Archived 2004-12-09 at the Wayback Machine
• "Maine-et-Loire" . Collier's New Encyclopedia. 1921.