Angers, Part 2: Vive la révolution
We relocated to a second apartment in our second week in Angers. Unlike our first apartment, this one had an elevator and a balcony that overlooked the Place du Ralliement. Whoo-hoo!
On October 17th, we bought groceries at the bustling Saturday morning market at Parc du Mail where vendors roll in with clothing, housewares, and food galore.
As we finished shopping, a line of cars surrounded the market, cruising bumper to bumper. Drivers laid on their horns crawling behind a car blaring vitriol from its rooftop-mounted speakers. It was unclear to me if they'd honked in annoyance or support. Regardless, the cacophony heralded the arrival of the Yellow Vests, a group of progressive activists showing solidarity with the student movement taking hold across the country.
We dropped the groceries off and then walked yet a different stretch of the river.
This time we headed northeast along a wide paved path, designed for car-free commutes between the modern, urban area in outer Angers and outside edge of the center of town, anchored by the Saint-Serge campus of the University of Angers. The path is smooth asphalt; Steve had picked the route, hoping the path would be dirt, but it was nicely landscaped. We also had to push against a strong brisk headwind. A taste of autumn in Angers.
We persisted until we reached an industrial-commercial zone. This is where we encountered car traffic. Car lots, box stores, and warehouses, block after block. We could have been in Anytown, USA but for the prevalence of clean and decent bus stops. Also, no shattered glass or graffiti this far from town square.
We headed back.
We had just put our feet up when the rally started its march through the Place du Ralliement. I imagine they were headed toward the street in front of City Hall and Parc du Mail across the street, where we started the day at the morning market.
I stood on the balcony wearing my N95 mask, so my camera could capture the beginning of the march - and as it happened quickly - their first confrontation with the Angers police force. The police met the crowd at the top of the street, already shooting cannons of gaz lacrymogène pucks. The front line kicked the pucks toward the police. It surprised me that they did not have hockey or lacrosse sticks, like we'd seen the Portland protesters use. The crowd slowed and seemed about to turn away. But the front line waved them forward and the surge progressed, undeterred.
They streamed by for at least an hour - singing, clapping, chanting, drumming. Again, something different than Portland protests - there were no inflatable T-Rex or frog costumes. Absurdist humor doesn't seem to be a tactic. At least not yet.
And then they vanished.
The event seemed over, except for an occasional whistle or flash bang.
It was like they all said "It's apéro-o'clock somewhere." and beat it to a tiny outdoor cafe table to drink a pint of beer (!) and smoke cigarettes.
Then - hours later - fast, angry shouts from under our balcony.
Below us, police vehicles plugged off the street as part of their attempt to control the confrontation on the part of Place du Ralliement beyond where we could see from our perch. Tear gas filled the air. This would be the last week we would see the department store windows. Many stores are now clad in plywood.
Taking cue from the optical shop across the street, we lowered metal blinds over our windows too. Hidden from the ruckus we tucked into dinner and started a silly series about a family of vampires on Staten Island. Escaping from our escape.
Sundays are famously low-key in France. Fwiw, the median age of Angers is 39. Most stores are closed. No, in fact all of them are, except for one little grocery store with one long line at the one cash register. This is because half the town is at church, the other half are sleeping off Saturday's fun.
We struck out for another walk across the river.
Quiet everywhere, save the zippy contingent of street-sweepers. Bright green and noisy, they're basically dumpsters with ATV wheels and hungry brushes, extremely compact relative to Seattle's behemoth sweeper (I wouldn't doubt there's only one). Anyway, these zippy little machines swept up all the broken glass, tear gas pucks, and charred piles of burnt garbage like good roombas. Earlier, I had noticed that there's very little litter in Angers. It could be due to this dynamic team. No photos of them. Sorry.
En route to the watery part of Parc Balzac, the part with the pond and the lake, we found another baguette vending machine and a tired municipal velodrome.
The next day, we found a crowded cemetery - with a special section for nuns and one of the strangest gravesites I've ever seen. 👣😳👣
On our way back, we passed another pair of impressive feat (nyuk, nyuk) - the structures bolstering of a portion of the old wall.
Then we explored the ancient and ornate Cathédrale Saint-Maurice d'Angers.
If I had to sit on those hard wooden pews or chairs, surrounded by all that , I'd struggle to follow Mass. My eyes wouldn't know where to stop.
I'll end this post here for two reasons -
We spent most of the next day in Nantes, which warrants a post of its own.
I don't have many photos documenting the following three days. All I have are photos of traffic signs and the appliances in the apartment - 'cause I liked 'em.
I guess we were worn out.
But, I know there were at least two fantastic and unforgettable lunches. At half the price of a Seattle lunch out.
Get this - in one restaurant, the server was serving in capacity of her college apprenticeship in - - - serving! Serving is a career you can get a degree in; they take food service that seriously. 🫨
Next up: Nantes
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