Saintes

Saintes and its 2000 years of history invite you to go back in time. Its Gallo-Roman amphitheater, one of the oldest in the Roman Empire and one of the best preserved, its ladies' abbey, the germanicus arch saved by Prosper Mérimée, its museums ... are all opportunities to explore the city bathed by the waters of the Charente. City of art and history, 4-star Ville fleurie, the capital of Saintonge, the former prefecture of Charente-lower, now the sub-prefecture of the department is a tourist destination in its own right. On the left bank of the Charente, the medieval town stretches out around the Saint-Pierre cathedral, whose construction on the foundations of an old Romanesque church was never completed. A masterpiece of Romanesque art, the Church of Saint Eutrope is an essential stopover on the Jacobean paths, it houses the relics of the Saint. The remains of the arenas, on the side of a valley, in a green setting bear witness to the ancient past of the city, as do the thermal baths of Saint-Saloine, or the Arch of Germanicus, threatened with destruction and brought up on the right bank of the river. Charente. It is on this shore that we discover the majestic Ladies' Abbey. Benedictine abbey, it was responsible for educating young girls from good families. It was turned into a prison under the Empire. Its facade remains one of the most beautiful in Romanesque art. It hosts the festival of Saintes every summer. On the museum side, to visit: the archaeological museum and the national stud farm. Saintes is also the starting point for a circuit of Saintonge Romanesque churches.