Pays Saintonge Romane
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Pays Saintonge Romane 2020 Edition www.payssaintongeromane.fr © CRT © A Guide to Saintonge Romane The Guide to Saintonge Romane (the Saintes area) details the beauty spots, historic buildings and places of interest in the vicinity that are well worth a visit during your holiday. It also gives an insight into local history, traditions, and summer or annual festivities and festivals. Local tourist offices will be only too delighted to provide more information and assistance during your holiday. From all of us here in Saintonge Romane, a very warm welcome! The map will help you to organize Boulesteix your outings and plan your routes. © J.-P. © Welcome in Saintonge Romane Table of contents CHARENTE-mARiTimE Saintes, a town of Architectural When land and sea meet and Historic interest 2 This is an area dappled in light, an area where life is lived at a Touring to the West of Saintes 5 gentle pace, an area where blues blend shamelessly with greens. Here, more than anywhere else, land and sea become as one. Touring to the South of Saintes 10 Along its 460 kilometres of coastline, Charente-Maritime has more Touring to the East of Saintes 12 than 110 fine sandy beaches, and its mild climate is ideal for a spot of rest and relaxation. The islands, bathed in warm sunshine, their Country recreation 16 landscapes softly brushed by sea breezes, are redolent with the scent of mimosa, maritime pines and hollyhocks. The stocky outline of Fort Seasonal recreation 17 Boyard forms the figurehead of a vast set of coastal fortifications that reflect five hundred years of military architecture. The Aunis and Saintonge areas of Charente-Maritime are steeped in culture and history, thanks to their 400 Romanesque churches. Get away from it all in a warm-hearted, friendly area that has more than one surprise up its sleeve. Photos: - Front cover • Romanesque church: M. Chaigneau © M. © Garnier • Chaniers ferry and restaurant: M. Garnier • Vineyard: J.-P. Boulesteix • Theatre: Le Moulin Théâtre - Back cover • Boating: M. Garnier © Pays Saintonge Romane Saintonge Pays © 1 Way of life Art de vivre Saintes The Archaeology museum is entirely devoted to A Town of Architectural the Gallo-Roman civilization. It includes architectural and Historic Interest features, sculptures, epigraphs, everyday objects. Built in the 1st-century A.D. The Gothic cathedral, on the banks of the River St. Peter’s, th th th L’Échevinage (15 -century) Charente and Gallo-Roman was built in the 15 to 17 1 is the Museum of Fine Arts. capital of Aquitaine for one centuries over a Romanesque Saintes de Tourisme de Office - Gaïa © Its belfry symbo lises the hundred years, this flower- building. The doorway below 5 © Musée de Saintes de Musée © privileges granted to the the incomplete belltower- decked town boasts many town by Eleanor of Aquitaine reminders of Roman times, cum-porch, is decorated with angels, bishops in 1199. the Middle Ages and the This houses the Art Gallery 9 18th-century (map F9). and prophets. and its painting collections The Germanicus Arch The nunnery known as of art works by the Flemish BERNARD PALISSY was built by the Romans at the “Abbaye aux Dames” and Dutch Schools of the th th c. 1510 - 1590. He learnt the art the entrance to the bridge was founded by Agnes of 15 and 18 -centuries, Burgundy and Geoffroy and by the French School of of ceramics in Saintes and that carried the Roman road La Chapelle-des-Pots. His quest Martel. It was consecrated the 17th and 18th-centuries. across the Charente. in 1047 and given to for the secrets of glazing, which It was moved to its present It also contains ceramics made he documented in his Art de Terre, Benedictine nuns who were in the Saintes area between site in 1843. particularly influential in the lasted for twenty years. Just as the 14th and 19th-centuries. he was about to succeed, he ran Saintes area until the French The Gallo-Roman 2 out of wood so he burned ”tables amphitheatre Revolution. Saintes de Tourisme de Office - Gaïa © and floorboards” in his kiln. His Now restored, the abbey Hostelry Gardens was built in a small valley Open to the public daily, mottled polychrome glazed pottery and had a seating capacity is used for musical events. and large serving dishes decorated On the first floor of the Tuesdays to Saturdays. of seventeen thousand. Only 6 in relief with animals and plants abbey buildings, which Saintes de Tourisme de Office © Entrance via the media library, made him famous. the first storey has survived underwent reconstruction Place de L’Echevinage. to the present time. in the 17th-century, there The water supply is a permanent exhibition for the Roman baths relating the abbey’s history. in Saint-Saloine was carried Only a few traces of the 1. The Germanicus Arch by an aqueduct (p. 15). cloister have survived. 2. Roman amphitheatre The abbey buildings were 3. The crypt in St-Eutrope’s Church th Remains of the town rebuilt in the 17 -century. 4. Abbaye-aux-Dames walls can be seen in Rue A few traces of the cloister 5. Head of August (1st-century) des Récollets. The walls were remain. – archaeology museum © Gaïa - Office de Tourisme de Saintes de Tourisme de Office - Gaïa © 3 erected in the 4th-century The “Parcours” is a 13-stage 6. View of the bell tower on using stone from earlier visitor trail through the St. Peter’s Church from buildings (temples, abbey explaining its history Ruelle de l’Hospice mausoleums, etc). and architecture through 7. The Hostelry, the history of music with Place de l’Echevinage INFORMATION 3D sound. 8. Hostelry gardens Tourist Office, place Bassompierre, The church dedicated near the archaelogical Museum, 9. Bernard Palissy to St. Eutrope The minster Tel. +33 (0)5 46 74 23 82 was built by Benedictine or abbey church monks to an unusual layout. (12th-century) is topped by a 7 Two churches, built one bell tower shaped like a pine Forgit Jean-Bernard © above the other, were cone. The sculptures on the linked by a single nave doorway illustrate episodes that was destroyed after from the story of the the French Revolution. Apocalypse of St. John. Both churches contain 4 beautifully carved capitals. Saintes de Tourisme de Office - Gaïa © The Flamboyant Gothic spire dates from the 15th-century. © Jean-Bernard Forgit Jean-Bernard © 2 3 88 Way of life Art de vivre Boutonne N. 137 The Saintes visitor train D.117 A. 83 D .1 7 1 (contd.) Wending its way through the 4 Saintes Trizay C Geay harente town from May to September, Touring to Beurlay Crazannes the train provides a 50-minute La Roche- D.18 trip with on-board commen- Pont-l'Abbé- Courbon Port- d'Arnoult d'Envaux tary in French and English. the West Nieul- The train leaves from the Sainte- lès-Saintes N. 150 1 Gemme D.728 Germanicus Arch and passes Garnier M. © of Saintes Corme-Royal by all the main historic build- Sablonceaux N. 150 SAINTES ings, through the old town, along the riverbanks etc. The Château de 6 la Roche-Courbon Guided tour of the house all in Saint-Porchaire is one Boating year, from 10 a.m. to noon of the most beautiful country and from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m., on the Charente PIERRE LOTI houses in the Saintes area, ”Who will save from death a forest except Thursdays between On board the “Bernard Palissy” III. built and fortified in the 15th 15th September and 30th April. Half-day or full-day boat trips leave with a feudal castle in its depths, a forest so old nobody knows its real age, century (map C7). Altered by Also closed on Sunday 1 from Saintes, near the Germanicus © Abbaye-aux-Dames © Arch. the castle of the Sleeping Beauty ?” successive owners, it has mornings in winter. gained in charm and Tour of the gardens, park and Saintes Festival All aboard the river barge Pierre Loti’s appeal in Le Figaro newspaper of 21st October 1908 elegance what it has lost grottoes open to the public In Saintes, music is always Trips lasting from an hour to 90 2 minutes, a gentle way to discover Romane Saintonge de Pays © was read by a young industrialist, in fortifications. all year from 10 a.m. to noon a unique experience, a blend Paul Chénereau, who brought the Interior: drawing room and 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. May to of curiosity and pleasure the history of Saintes, the life of the bargees, and the flora and Château de la Roche-Courbon with painting on wood, September from 10 a.m. to heightened by the beauty of fauna on the river banks. back to life. Louis XIII chamber and a 7 p.m. Closed 25th December the surroundings. For children: “Boat trip with typical Saintonge kitchen. and 1st January. In January The Saintes Festival is one of stories” and “Pirate cruise”. From the balustered terrace, Open on Saturday and Sunday the best-known music festivals In May to October. there is a view of the superb afternoons only. Information: in Europe. In line with its On board an e-boat formal French gardens. tel. +33 (0)5 46 95 60 10 emphasis on new talent, it Every afternoon in summer, you In the grounds, there is a invites numerous performers, can skipper your own e-boat on the fine vista from the flight of Saint-Porchaire: singers, instrumentalists River Charente. You don’t need a steps at the end of the park Gothic church.