TRELAZE: The capital of slate

A pittoresque spot in Trelaze

The nobility of a stone, a "savoir-faire": slate, cradle of "blue gold"
Known throughout the world for its exceptional finesse, the reputation of slate from Trelaze is common knowledge. Used industrially in the quarries of Trelaze since the 19th century, slate covers the roofs and towers of the finest masterpieces of the Loire Valley, as well as other royal domains such as the Chateau de Versailles.

A must-see stop on any tourist itinerary in the area, the city offers unique scenery and a stunning natural environment, with slate as a common element: its quarries, building foundations, buttes and popular homes.

Trelazé has the privilege of being an UNESCO World Heritage site and offers numerous activities: relaxing in the Parc du Vissoir; a visit to the Slate Museum ("Musée de l'Ardoise"); the Loire by bicycle; and cultural events during the Summer Festival, including a host of concerts and free expositions. Eclectic and of the highest quality, Barbara Hendriks, Marcus Miller, Earth Wind And Fire Experience Featuring Al Mckay, Isabelle Boulay, Roger Hodgson and many more will all be present during the 18th edition.

A warm and welcoming city, on a human dimension, that lives up to its reputation as a "Ville Evénement," or Event City.

ANGERS: City of Art and History

The historical capital of the Anjou region, Angers benefits from an exceptional quality of life in the heart of the Loire Valley, cited as an UNESCO World Heritage site.

A true "land of economic discovery", Angers surprises by its wealth, its industrial dynamism, but also by its way of life.

Colours: The blue of its slate roofs, the green of its vegetation (40m² of park and forestland per inhabitant), the white of its chalk are the basis for the extraordinary light of the region that is so hard to leave.

Historical Centre: The fortress evokes the King Réné. The tapestry of the Apocalypse, the Jean-Lurçat Museum and contemporary tapestries evoke the region's weaving history. The Saint-Maurice Cathedral in a gothic Plantagenet style and the magnificently restored Fine Arts Museum will feed the visitor's passion for art and architecture.

The Quartier Doutre: Its wood-panelled houses, its private hotels, its numerous parks and woodlands and the quiet banks of the Maine River will enchant you.

Don't hesitate! Angers is waiting to tell you it's story...

To learn more about the other communes of the Angers Loire Metropolitan Region, consult the site:
www.angersloiretourisme.com

EuroBasket Women 2011 bronze medalist Aurélie Bonnan hails from Trelaze

A true heartland of basketball, the Pays de Loire counts close to 60,000 licensed basketball players, which makes it one of the most active regions in French basketball.

In Maine-et-Loire, out of 16,500 licensed players, 48% are female. The department is represented at every level of French basketball. A number of teams play at the national level, the best known being Cholet Basket (French Pro A Champions in 2010), Anjou BC (National 1) and the UFAB (National 1) women's team.

• Guided mp3 Tour of Angers (free of charge)

Angers blends the harmony of beautiful open spaces and exceptional monuments. Download the tour of the city of Angers on your mp3 player or on your mobile phone.

http://www.angersloiretourisme.com/en/Visits_mp3_player.aspx

• Slate Museum (4,50 € instead of 6 € upon representation of a EuroBasket Women 2013 ticket)

The Slate Museum is a place of memory and discovery of the profession of shale miners. This museum describes the history of slate mining including major slate mining in the Anjou region.

Address: 32, chemin de la Maraîchère 49800 Trélazé
Tel: +33 (0)2 41 69 04 71
http://www.lemuseedelardoise.fr/

• Communication Museum (4,70 € instead of 5,50 € upon representation of a EuroBasket Women 2013 ticket)

Relive the major events that led to great inventions and developments in the fields of printing, telegraph, cinema, radio, television and space conquest. An exceptional collection of 1300 pieces staged on nearly 1000 m² in the Pignerolle castle.

Address: Route de Beaufort en Vallée 49 124 Saint Barthélemy d'Anjou
Tel: +33 (0)2 41 93 38 38
http://www.musee-communication.com/musee_gb.html

• Slate Park (free entrance)

Right by the old basins, filled with azure water, you will discover a valuable flora, typical for a dry shale environment, while oak and birch woodlands but also the "Rabbit Creek" bring you coolness and shade.

• Angers Castle

Discover one of the best-preserved mediaeval fortresses in France. The castle's architecture enables us to trace the morphological evolution of the site right back to the first traces of human occupation about 4000 years BC, including the construction of the fortress and its 17 towers by the young St Louis and that of the royal apartments, the chapel and the "châtelet"or little castle by the dukes of Anjou.

Address:2 Promenade du Bou du Monde, 49100 Angers
Tel: +33 (0)2 41 86 48 77
http://www.angersloiretourisme.com/en/angers_museums_historic%20sites_monuments.aspx

• Château du Plessis-Bourré

Le Plessis-Bourré is a near-perfect 15^th century castle, complete with moat, a double drawbridge, fortified gates, big towers and tuff stone. No wonder it has been used as a set for many French films! Inside what is still a home are richly furnished rooms, including the intriguing Salle des Gardes, with its painted ceiling that was supposedly designed by an alchemist...

Address: Château du Plessis-Bourré - 49460 Ecuillé
Tel : +33 (0)2 41 32 06 72
http://www.plessis-bourre.com/

• Theme Park Terra Botanica

TERRA BOTANICA, the first park to offer interactive encounters with the plant world, has opened since the 10th of april 2010 in the heart of the Anjou region. A total of 110,000 sq. m of gardens, aquatic areas and greenhouses, dotted with 40 attractions and presentations, will offer a multidimensional experience of plant life from all six continents.

Address: Route de Cantenay Epinard - 49000 Angers
Tel: +33 (0)2 41 25 00 00
http://www.uk.terrabotanica.fr/

• Tree Holiday Park Anjou Aventure

Lying 5 min. from Angers, in the heart of Ecouflant Forest (52 hectares), Anjou Adventure Park offers the first forest adventure trail in the Maine et Loire region. In trees over 20 meters high, you can perform acrobatic feats, on over 120 different facilities (monkey bridges, nets, tarzan jumps and so on). The five trails are suitable for beginners and experienced sportspeople alike. The trail merges with the vegetation, thanks to the wide distance between each tree, and takes you an exciting 2-km course above ground.

Address: Parc Anjou Aventure Parc des Sablières 49000 Ecouflant
Tel: +33 (0)2 41 968 968
http://www.parcanjouaventure.fr/english-2755.html

Capacity: 5,085

Address: 131 rue Ferdinand Vest
49800 - Trélazé

Population: 12,500

Official Website:  www.trelaze.fr

Distances: Lille (516 km), Orchies (525 km), Vannes (211 km), La-Roche-Sur-Yon (129 km), Paris (301 km)

By Car
2:30 from Paris via highway A11
1:00 from Nantes via highway A11

By Train
TGV Paris-Montparnasse - Angers Saint Laud : 1h30
TGV Nantes - Angers Saint Laud : 40mn

French railway SNCF www.sncf.com/en/passengers 

By Plane
The closest airport is Nantes Atlantique International Airport
http://www.nantes.aeroport.fr/ANA-English/Page/Default.aspx

A small airport is located in la Roche-sur-Yon, 1:00 from Trelaze, offering 9 flights a day to paris and three flights a day to Lille.

Auberge de la Mairie
Bar and restaurant right in the heart of Trelaze.

Address: 84 rue Pasteur 49800 Trélazé
Tel: +33 (0)2 41 69 01 03

Restaurant Les Bateliers
Silky table, whether in pageantry, service or plate. A beautiful menu well supplied with both meat and fish, starters and deserts.

Address: 328 rue Jean Jaurès 49800 Trélazé
Tel: +33 (0)2 41 81 89 18

Restaurant Le Buisson
Tasty local cuisine with varying seasons in a comfortable and pleasant atmosphere between the Slate Museum, the Ardoisières hiking trail and the Cointreau Museum.

Address: 187 rue Ferdinand Vest 49800 Trélazé
Tel: +33 (0)2 41 69 74 25
http://www.restaurant-traiteur.com/

Swingy Restaurant Snack
Kebab restaurant, to eat in or take away.

Address: 207 avenue de la République Place Picasso 49800 Trélazé
Tel: +33 (0)2 41 32 86 16
http://enova-site.com/minisite/chez-alibaba/

Le Relais des Ardoises
Traditional cuisine and pizzas cooked on wood fire and local specialties, to eat in or take out.

Address: 107 rue Ferdinand Vest 49800 Trélazé
Tel: +33 (0)2 41 69 00 77
http://www.restaurant-relaisdesardoises.fr/

Swingy Kebab
Kebab restaurant, to eat in or take away.

Address: 261 rue Jean Jaurès - 49800 Trélazé
Tel: +33 (0)2 41 69 00 87
http://www.kebab-frites.com/kebab/swingy-kebab-561.html