Saintes: Roman Heritage and Romanesque Architecture

Saintes brings together Gallo-Roman architectural history, Romanesque religious architecture, collections on everyday life in antiquity and music in July. For a culture-focused stay, these themes can be distinguished easily: the amphitheatre and the Arc de Germanicus evoke the Roman city, while the Musée archéologique explores urban planning, sculptures and everyday objects. Other highlights include the Basilique Saint-Eutrope, the Abbaye aux Dames and two walking options for visitors. The Charente river landscape adds a scenic dimension. This lets you decide whether to focus mainly on buildings and collections, or also include music and landscape in your travel plans.

Gallo-Roman Architectural History in Saintes

The Gallo-Roman amphitheatre of Saintes was built around 40–50 AD under Emperor Claudius. Its grounds are also regularly used for concerts, theatre performances and national events such as the Archaeology Days. This combines a look at ancient architectural history with a recurring cultural programme. If you would like to plan around an event, check the programme before your trip.

The Arc de Germanicus offers a different perspective on the history of the Roman city. It was built in 18–19 AD at the entrance to the Roman bridge leading into the city of Saintes, and stands at the end of the Via Agrippa. An inscription honouring Tiberius and Germanicus has been preserved. In contrast to the amphitheatre, the Arc foregrounds its connection to the bridge and its surviving dedication; together, the structures offer different perspectives on ancient Saintes.

Museum and Everyday Life in Antiquity

Through its presentation of urban planning and the lives of its inhabitants, the Musée archéologique offers a picture of ancient Saintes 2,000 years ago. The sculptures on display adorned public and private spaces in the city during the 1st and 2nd centuries AD. The museum therefore offers a chance to explore both urban structures and examples of ancient design.

The Musée archéologique also presents everyday objects relating to themes such as domestic games, religion and food. These themes draw attention to different aspects of daily life, while the sculptures tell the story of how public and private spaces were designed. Those interested in ancient urban history can thus discover more than just the buildings, with insights into urban planning, inhabitants and everyday culture.

Romanesque Crypt and Sound Journeys

The Basilique Saint-Eutrope houses one of the largest Romanesque crypts in Europe. The Abbaye aux Dames is a former Benedictine abbey founded in 1047. The two sites represent different aspects of Saintes’ religious history: one is home to a major Romanesque crypt, the other tells the story of a former abbey.

The Abbaye aux Dames also offers 3D audio sound journeys that lead from the cloister to the bell tower. Alongside the historical context, this adds an acoustic perspective. The sound journey’s route also names two areas of the abbey that it connects.

Walking Routes, Events and River Landscape

Two different options are available for exploring on foot. A walking tour of Saintes and its history is available from the tourist office and starts at the Arc de Germanicus. The green tourist route connects five major sights: the Abbaye aux Dames, the Arc de Germanicus, Cathédrale Saint-Pierre and the old town, Église St Eutrope and the Gallo-Roman amphitheatre. The walking tour has a specified starting point, while the green route brings five sights together in one itinerary. Which option best suits your plans depends on whether you would prefer to take the tour from its starting point or follow the route linking the named sights.

The Festival de Saintes takes place every July and presents concerts of early and Baroque music. Check the programme and dates before your trip if you would like to plan your visit around a concert. It is also worth checking the programme for concerts, theatre performances and national events such as the Archaeology Days, which are regularly held on the amphitheatre grounds.

Beyond the cultural sites, the Charente offers a scenic perspective. Above Saintes and along its final stretch, the river flows gently, with a slight gradient, between broad flood meadows; this stretch is suited to relaxation. The river landscape thus complements the cultural attractions with another focus for your travel plans.

Discover more destinations: Vouhé, Siecq, Saint-Pardoult, Saint-Christophe, Soubran, Jonzac, Taillebourg, Cozes.

Go to the main travel overview: Charente-Maritime.