Walking guided tour: Saintes, the bimillennial city

Founded in the first century, Saintes has earned the label of a "City of Art and History".

Nestled along the banks of the Charente river, this city boasts an impressive architectural and religious heritage that should not be missed.

Don't miss the must-see sights :

• The remains of the Gallo-Roman amphitheatre:

now known as the"Saintes Arena". This is the most significant relic of the former capital of the Roman province of Aquitaine.

• Germanicus Roman arch

which once stood at the entrance of a now-vanished Roman bridge and was rescued thanks to Prosper Mérimée.

• The Abbaye-aux-Dames

founded in 1047, and its abbey church, in particular its exceptional Romanesque sculpted gate. 
It is hard to imagine its decline during the French Revolution and its subsequent use as a barracks until the 1920s when looking at its beautifully restored state.

• St. Eutropius Basilica

built by the monks of Cluny around 1080s around the tomb of St. Eutropius tomb, the first bishop of Saintes. It is undoubtedly one of the most interesting religious buildings in Saintonge, known for its layout, its antiquity and the exceptional Romanesque ornamentation of the columns heads.