Archives départementales de Maine-et-Loire

In 1796, a department intended to collect documents from the Ancien Régime was created in the capital of each department. In Angers, the Departmental Archives were originally housed in a wing of the former Saint-Aubin Abbey. Several successive building campaigns extended the space until, in 1985, the narrowness of the premises led the Department to plan the construction of a new building. It was built on rue de Frémur, on the site of the former Visitation convent, which was owned by the Department, and inaugurated in 1987. Fifteen years later, the ever-increasing number of visitors made a new extension necessary, which was completed in 2004. 

Registration and consultation of documents are free of charge. Only the reproduction of documents is subject to a [fee](https://archives.maine-et-loire.fr/fileadmin/boutique/Grille_tarifaire.pdf). 

Consultation is free and open to all. Any French or foreign person can consult the documents that can be communicated. Before consulting the documents, you will be asked to : fill in a registration form present an identity document; accept the rules of the reading room. In the document consultation room, please be discreet if you are working with several people and above all handle the archives with care. The documents are unique and fragile. Up to 3 documents can be requested at a time, consulted one by one. The maximum number of items released is 6 per session (morning or afternoon). There is free access to periodicals, periodicals and digital images. Pick-up times: - Morning: 9:15 - 9:45 - 10:15 - 10:45 - 11:15 - 11:45. - Afternoon: 13.45 - 14.15 - 14.45 - 15.15 - 15.45 - 16.15 - 16.45 Obligatory deposit of personal belongings in the open-access cloakrooms. Environment of silence and respect for the work of readers and staff. No ink pens, drinks or food are allowed in the reading room. Use of a camera is permitted in the reading room.