Former Convent of the Baumette

Updated April 15, 2024

## Former Convent of the Baumette (Ancien couvent de la Baumette): a cliff-carved landmark above the Maine River in Angers

On the southern edge of Angers, the Former Convent of the Baumette (often referred to locally as the Ancien couvent de la Baumette) is one of the city’s most unusual heritage sites: a former religious complex built into and onto the schist rock overlooking the Maine River. It’s privately owned today and opens to visitors only on specific dates, which helps explain why even people who know Angers well sometimes miss it. couvent de la Baumette

What makes the Baumette stand out isn’t a single monument, but the way its elements stack together—a 15th-century chapel, an 18th-century cloister, and terraced gardens cut by hand into the Roc de Chanzé, with springs and basins built into the landscape. couvent de la Baumette

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## Quick facts for trip planning (verify before you go)

– Name: Former Convent of the Baumette / Ancien couvent de la Baumette (also associated with the Cordeliers/Franciscans historically) couvent de la Baumette
– Address (visitor access listed by the site): 1 Chemin Bas de la Baumette, 49000 Angers couvent de la Baumette
– The wider area is also referenced via Place Albert Cheux / rue Haut de la Baumette in Angers tourism listings. Angers
– Setting: South of Angers, on rock above the Maine River couvent de la Baumette
– Status: Private property; classified/recognized as a historic monument site (the site describes it as classé Monument Historique) couvent de la Baumette
– Typical visiting window (as published by the site): May 1 to Oct 30, with visits on the 3rd Sunday of each month (10:00–18:00) couvent de la Baumette
– Price (as published by the site): €7, free for children under 12 couvent de la Baumette
– Accessibility: The visit involves many stairs; the site notes it is difficult for visitors with reduced mobility and not wheelchair-adapted couvent de la Baumette

Outdated-data flag: opening dates/times and fees can change (especially for privately operated heritage sites). Treat the details above as “last published online,” and double-check close to your travel date. couvent de la Baumette

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## A short, reliable history: why “La Baumette” exists at all

The Baumette’s origin story is tied to King René (René d’Anjou) and his interest in creating a retreat site near Angers. The convent’s own history page states that on 25 October 1452, King René laid the first stone of a chapel on the roc de Chanzé above the Maine, dedicating it to Mary Magdalene and naming it La Baumette (“the little Baume”), referencing Sainte-Baume in Provence. couvent de la Baumette

The Archives of Angers describe the broader context: René acquired rights over the property and rock in 1452, laid the first stone shortly afterward, and the initial buildings were completed by 1454.

From there, religious orders occupied and adapted the site over time. The Baumette’s own history summary says that in 1456 the Franciscan Cordeliers were brought in to serve the chapel and community; later, the Récollets replaced the Cordeliers, and the buildings were rehabilitated. couvent de la Baumette

During the French Revolution, the convent was sold as a national property (bien national) in 1791, after which it moved through private ownership.

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## What you’re actually visiting: the key features on-site

### The rock-cut feel (and why the view matters)
Multiple official descriptions emphasize the same point: the convent is built upright on a rock and overlooks the Maine River, which creates a “high terrace” experience—part architecture, part landscape. Angers

### The chapel and “in-the-rock” church element
Destination Angers’ description highlights a church created directly in the side of the rock and notes a chapel vault dating to 1452. Angers
The site’s own history page also references the chapel’s historic fabric and long continuity of the space. couvent de la Baumette

### Cloister and convent buildings
The Baumette is not “only” medieval. The home page notes an 18th-century cloister alongside the older chapel and the former cemetery. couvent de la Baumette
The Angers archives add that the site was modified in the 18th century to improve comfort and modernize the conventual spaces.

### Terraced gardens: 14 levels carved into schist
One of the most concrete, repeatable details across sources is the “14 terraced gardens” shaped into the schist rock (Roc de Chanzé), with springs and basins/ponds integrated into the terraces. couvent de la Baumette
If you like visiting places where the “garden” is inseparable from the geology, this is the Baumette’s signature.

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## How to plan a visit that actually works

### Don’t assume daily opening
This is a common pitfall. The Baumette is a private property and is only open for visits on specific dates; the site publishes a seasonal window (May–October) and a monthly visiting rhythm (3rd Sunday). couvent de la Baumette

### Expect stairs (and plan accordingly)
Because the experience is built around a rock face and terraces, the site explicitly warns that the visit includes many stairs and is not wheelchair adapted. couvent de la Baumette
If someone in your group has mobility constraints, consider choosing an Angers heritage site with step-free access instead, and keep the Baumette as an “if conditions allow” option.

### Group visits and events
Destination Angers notes that group visits may be available by reservation (and references practical info in French). Angers
The Baumette’s own visits page directs groups/events to contact the venue’s event management partner. couvent de la Baumette

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## Location context: why it’s a strong “pairing” stop in Angers

Because the Baumette sits along the Maine, it naturally complements a day focused on Angers’ riverside geography and heritage (rather than only the city center). The Angers archives explicitly frame it as a retreat-like place close to modern life, built to feel removed while staying within easy reach of the city.

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## Suggested internal links to add (only if these pages exist on RealJourneyTravels.com)
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1. Angers city guide (anchor example: “more things to do in Angers”)
2. Loire Valley / Pays de la Loire itinerary (anchor example: “build a Loire Valley route with Angers as a base”)

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