The history of Angers-Trélazé? slate goes back a long way, as traces of slate quarries have been found dating as far back as the 8th century. At that time, Trelaze schist was mainly used as a construction material, for building the walls of cottages, manor houses and castles. The fine towers of Angers Castle, a magnificent and impregnable mediaeval fortress, were built of Trélazé schist. In the 9th century, our ancestors began to use it as a roofing material. But it was not until the 16th and 17th centuries that Angers-Trelaze? slate developed its full potential, becoming the standard roofing material used on all the royal and seigniorial residences, such a the Loire Chateaux, Versailles, etc. For more than eight centuries a number of slate companies shared the "black gold" of Anjou, found at ground level in the Angers Region, especially in the town of Trélazé. In 1891, the largest producers merged to create the Société des Ardoisières d''Angers, a new structure to produce and market Angers-Trélazé? slate. Within a few years, the company was booming and had established its reputation for a durable, attractive and quality product. Over a century after its creation, Ardoisières d''Angers remains a major force in the roofing market. Its business focuses on the manufacture and marketing of top of the range roofing slate, protecting and adding value to Historical Monuments, public or private office buildings and high qualit