Saintes and the Saintonge in 4 days
Saintes has two thousand years of history on the banks of the Charente: the Arch of Germanicus, an amphitheatre for some 15,000 spectators, the crypt of Saint-Eutrope on the Way of St James and the Abbaye aux Dames, now a music centre. Around it lie the Romanesque churches of the Saintonge and the pineau vineyards.
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The plan, day by day
Day 1
- Morning
Arch of Germanicusfree · about 30 minA two-bay Roman arch from AD 18 or 19 that marked the end of the Agrippan road from Lyon, dedicated to Tiberius, Drusus and Germanicus.
- Afternoon
Saintes Archaeological Museumabout 45 minOne of the richest collections of Roman sculpture in western France: friezes, capitals and gravestones recovered from the 3rd-century walls.
Day 2
- Morning
The Charente quaysfree · about 45 minPlane-lined quays between the old town on the left bank and the Arch of Germanicus on the right, with a footbridge and merchants' houses.
- Afternoon
Saint-Pierre Cathedralfree · about 30 minA cathedral with a huge unfinished porch tower capped by a small dome, sacked in 1568 and rebuilt from 1585, hence its plain nave.
Day 3
- Morning
Abbaye aux Damesabout 1 hFounded in 1047 by the Count of Anjou and his wife, with a white Romanesque church and a bell tower shaped like a pine cone.
- Afternoon
Basilica of Saint-Eutropefree · about 30 minConsecrated by Pope Urban II in 1096, a major stop on the Way of St James, UNESCO-listed since 1998 and visited on two levels.
Day 4
- Morning
The Roman amphitheatreabout 45 minOne of the oldest in Gaul, begun under Tiberius and built into a valley side, which helped it survive; it held some 15,000.
- Afternoon
Pilgrims' Hospital, Ponsfree · about 45 minAbout 20 km south of Saintes, one of the few surviving pilgrims' hospitals on the Way of St James, its porch carved with pilgrims' graffiti.
Where to sleep in Saintes and the Saintonge
- Hôtel de l'Avenue · €70 a night
- Hôtel de France · €75 a night
- The Originals City, Hôtel des Arènes · €75 a night
- Hôtel Chais Monnet & Spa · €330 a night
Plan this trip
Hotel prices per room per night, checked when written. Some links are affiliate links: we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you.