Saintes.
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Overview

Saintes is a city on the Charente river in Charente-Maritime, in southwestern France. It was the capital of the historical Saintogne County, many landmarks from its glorious past have been preserved, and as such it has been classified as a Ville d'art et d'histoire ("City of art and history").

Understand

General Saintes sits at a curve of the Charente River, among wet meadows and green hills, and has throughout history been a crossroads right in the heart of Charente. The city has a long tradition as a trading point with its monthly markets going on for centuries, and is still today a regional centre for businesses and services. With 25,000 inhabitants in the city and 60,000 in the urban area, it's the second largest city in the region after La Rochelle.

The oldest attractions in Saintes are from the Roman Empire, including the Arch of Germanicus and the ruins of an amphitheater and as such it has a heritage reaching back two millennia in history. The historical center on both banks of the river has been pedestrianized and it's made up of four districts: Saint-Pierre around the cathedral, Saint-Eutrope around the basilica, Saint-Vivien and Saint-Pallais around the Abbaye aux Dames and the railway station. The old town, Vieux Saintes is truly the beating heart of the city, lively and full of charm. You can walk up the narrow alleys to the Capitole hill for nice views of Saintes with surroundings.

Also the surrounding region has a lot to offer. The city sits in the middle of the "Atlantic arc" (l’arc atlantique), with the beach resorts of the Côte de Beauté (Royan, Vaux-sur-Mer, Saint-Georges-de-Didonne) just around 30 km away. Famous wine regions are close by as well, here cognac, Pineau de Charentes and Médoc and other Bordeaux wines are made. The vineyards, wheat fields and meadows of Saintogne are in themselves beautiful and have become the theme of many paintings by 19th-century artists such as Gustave Courbet and Jean-Baptiste Corot.

The region has been inhabited since at least the third millenium BC, as per archaeological discoveries in Diconche in the south of the municipality. Around 500 BC a Celtic tribe, the Santons, settled in the area, and from them comes the region's name Saintonge. Saintes was established by the Romans, named Mediolanum Santonum and was the main city of the greater region of Aquitaine.

As the capital of the southwestern quarter of Gaul, the area from the Pyrenees to Loire, during Roman times many grand buildings were built - basilicas, a forum (likely on Capitol hill), thermal baths, arches dedicated to Tiberius and Germanicus, and aqueduct and an amphitheater seating 15,000. The city had right-angled streets, a sewer system, and was connected to the capital of Gaul, Lyon, by a major road (part of the Via Agrippa network). It also had a harbor named Portus Santonum or Novioregum somewhere near present-day Royan.

In the third century CE when the Roman Empire was about to fall apart, the region was attacked by barbarians from the north. The suburbs of the great city were abandoned, the inhabitants concentrated themselves to the inner part of the city, and some monuments were torn down and the material was used to fortify central parts of the city. The city's extent shrunk from around 100 hectares to 18 hectares, still it remained an intellectual center.

Christianity was introduced relatively early, by bishop Saint Eutrope who then became the patron saint of the city, and Saint Eustelle, both who became martyrs. Also three later medieval bishops of the city – Vivien, Trojan and Pallais - became canonized by the Catholic church. In 732, the city was burnt down by the Muslim troops commanded by general Abd-el-Rahman, and in 844 and 848 by Vikings. In the 11th century, the remains of St. Eutrope were found, and a grand basilica was built at the place (the current basilica is just a third of the size of the original) which became a destination for pilgrimage. At the same time a major convent was built on the other side of the river.

In 1152 Duchess Eleanor of Aquitaine married Count of Anjou Henri Plantagenêt who became king of England two years later. Therethrough the region became an English possession, and trade with the British Isles made the region and Saintes prosper. Over the following centuries the city saw warfare between France and England several times, and it finally fell in French hands in 1404. Having been ravaged by several wars and the Black Death, the city rose again and a new grand cathedral was being constructed. This came to and end with the French Wars of Religion, and Saintes was sacked by Protestant troops in 1568. Finally, in the 17th century, when the inhabitants had revolted against the French king like many cities in the region, Cardinal Richelieu had torn down the fortified citadel. It was however spared the fate of nearby Royan which was razed to the ground.

During the 18th century Saintes was an administrative city with its own court. The leaders of the city wanted to modernize the city which they considered uncomfortable and dirty, and so the fortifications were razed to make place for grand new promenades. However the French Revolution interrupted the work, and the grand plans never came into being. Saintes was the capital of the new Charente-Inférieure department for some years, but Napoleon moved the capital to La Rochelle for strategical reasons. After the Napoleonic Wars in 1815, urban development proceeded though on a smaller scale.

In 1867 the railway reached Saintes, leading to the development of a whole new railway district, and about at the same time Avenue Gambetta was finished. Saintes was occupied by Germans during WWII and the strategically important railway district was bombed by the Allies on 24 June 1944, leading to almost 300 casualties. A few months later, the Germans were driven out of the city.

During the 1960s and 1970s large housing complexes were built, giving Saintes a different character. Another remarkable event was the floods of 1982, when almost 16 km of streets were under water. Today, Saintes is one of the main cities of the department, and the economic centre of the southern Poitou-Charentes region.

Climate Saintes has an oceanic climate, but even as the city is just 30 km inland, the climate is notably more continental than at the coast with temperature differences of up to 5 degrees (warmer in the summer, colder in the winter). Still it has a mild climate with little rain (especially in the summer) and more than 2000 hours of sunshine a year, as is visible in the vegetation. Winds are usually moderate, though the odd storm may affect the region in the winter.

Talk The people speak French like elsewhere in France. Many locals also speak the vernacular saintongeais also known as parlanjhe. Saintogenais is little represented in the media, but the local market is a good place to hear the language, and it has its own organization, Xaintonge. It's based on the Occitan language spoken here in the Middle Ages, and some words have entered the regional dialect of French.

Get in

Saintes is one of the main road traffic nodes in the region, with bypasses to the west and south of the city.

Autoroute A10 (called L'Aquitaine) passes the city on the western side connects from Niort, Poitiers, Tours and Paris in the north and Bordeaux in the south. Take exit 35, and drive along the inner ring road to get to the city. A bit north of the city, A837 comes in from Rochefort, joining the A10.

Local roads come in from nearby towns and cities; on the coastal side D728 from Marennes and île d'Oléron to the west, and N150 from Saujon and Royan to the southwest. N141 comes in from Cognac, Angoulême and Limoges to the east (connecting to the Paris-Toulouse Autoroute A20), D137 from Rochefort and Saint-Porchaire in the northwest and Pons, Mirambeau, Blaye and Bordeaux to the south. D150 from Saint-Jean-d’Angély and Niort (via D650) in the north, D237 from Saint-Georges-des-Coteaux and Nieul-lès-Saintes just west of Saintes and D114 from Cozes to the southwest.

Saintes is served by Intercité and TER trains, and there are trains from La Rochelle, Bordeaux, Royan, Niort, Angoulême, Toulouse, Nantes and Quimper. The closest TGV stations are in La Rochelle and Angoulême.

The is on the left bank of Charente, about 15 minutes on foot from downtown. The station building is a late 19th-century neoclassical building, which used to be the heart of a much bigger railway complex with technical and administrative buildings of the national railway company SNCF. It's accessible for mobility impaired people and has a shop and a restaurant.

By plane There's an airfield for light aviation. The nearest airports with passenger services are in La Rochelle (60 km northwest) and Bordeaux (100 km south).

Transports Routiers de Voyageurs de la Région Nouvelle-Aquitaine operates buses around the department. Eurolines in turn, has services all over Europe. The long-distance bus station is at the Cours Reverseaux near the old hospital.

By foot Two Grande Randonnée long distance walking routes go through the city: GR4 from Royan on the Atlantic coast to Grasse in southeastern France, and GR360 (Tour de Saintogne), formed like a distorted oval going around the historical Saintogne region.

Moreover Saintes is an important stop on the Via Turonensis branch of the Way of St. James since the 11th century. Already in a 12th century guide to the route, pilgrims were urged to visit the grave of martyr Saint Eutrope in the basilica.

Get around

By car During rush hour, summer vacation, some festivals like the National Day, Christmas and New Year, and the monthly fairs, there can be congestion on the roads, other than that traffic is usually calm. Problem spots include highways entering and exiting the city, the Gambetta and Saintogne avenues, and surroundings of major shopping centers. Much of the historical center is pedestrianized.

There are parking areas at the outskirts of the city where you can park for free. In the central parts of the city there's free parking at some places.

Most of the Saintes as well as Saint-Georges-des-Coteaux is served by the local BUSS network. Other nearby towns and villages are served by Allo'Buss buses that operate on demand. There are three urban lines A, B and C, a shuttle service from the railway station to a few nearby stops, the earlier mentioned on-demand buses and Noctam’Buss services running at Friday and Saturday nights connecting nightclubs. BUSS also operates school buses.

By bike In the 2010s, dedicated bike lanes have been built around town. There's a bike borrowing service in the city, operated by Cyclocom. It comprises seven stations with bikes: tourist office, city hall, youth hostel, the D'une Fenêtre à l'autre house, Belle Rive and Bellevue social centers, and the Au fil de l'eau camping.

Bikes can be borrowed for one day at a time, and they need to be returned to the same station by the evening. If you plan do use the service for several days, you can "subscribe" to the service by paying the same deposit and showing your ID at the city hall. You will need to do it just once, get a document to show when you borrow and return bikes, and get the deposit back when you end the subscription.

See

Quartier Saint-Pierre The largely pedestrianized Saint-Pierre district corresponds to the historical center of the city from the river to Place Capitol. The streets, alleys, squares are buildings are laid out like in medieval times, though many buildings especially along the rather commercialized main streets, Rue Victor Hugo and Rue Alsace-Lorraine, date from the 17th and 18th centuries. In this part of the city you can find the impressive Saint-Pierre cathedral, and can walk up the steps to the Capitol Hill for panoramic views of the city.

Cathédrale Saint-Pierre. The large cathedral that's the namesake of the district dominates the old town. There has been at least two cathedrals here earlier, a Merovingian cathedral founded by St Pallais, and a Romanesque cathedral of which the southern cross and a dome have been incorporated in the current building. The Gothic cathedral was once much higher, up to three times higher than its current version. Traces of the ridge raising up to 39 m are still visible on the bell tower, and arcs on the outside raise up above the roof. During the 15th and 16th centuries it was built to those grand proportions, and the cathedral was almost finished when it was largely destroyed by Protestant troops in 1568 during the French Wars of Religion. There weren't funds to rebuild it as large as it had been, and the current height is about a third of what it once was. Surrounding buildings related to the cathedral like the bishops' residence were also not rebuilt.

Rue Alsace-Lorraine. An important pedestrian and shopping street, with more than half of the old town's shops. As such it's a great place to just walk around and do window shopping; or to make some side trips along the alleys. Most façades date from the 17th and 18th centuries though there are still some medieval houses left.

Rue Victor-Hugo. Another major shopping street in the old town, also known as the Grand’Rue (big street). It follows the routing of an old Roman street. It's pedestrianized and lined with palms and flowers. Looking towards the Charente river along the street, you can see the Germanicus arc. There's a great variety of businesses on this street from perfume shops and hotels to crêperies and art galleries.

Rue Saint-Michel. The most "medieval" street of the old town, at least when it comes to the houses lining it which were untouched by the 17th century building project. As there are relatively few businesses, it's much less busy than the shopping streets and even overlooked by visitors spending a short time in the city.

Église Sainte-Colombe. In the heart of the Quartier Saint-Pierre, and first mentioned in a charter from 1340, it was one of the main churches within the city walls in the Middle Ages. The present church was built in "flamboyant Gothic" style, destroyed during the Wars of Religion and rebuilt as a smaller version in 1638. After the revolution it became disused for more than half a century until 1849, then functioning as a Carmelite convent until 1922 when it first became a grocery store and then a warehouse. In 2000 it was acquired by the Fraternity of St. Pius X, renovated, and is once again a religious building.

Couvent des Jacobins. A Dominican monastery established in 1292, it was rebuilt in the 15th century. After the revolution it became a dwelling house. In the 19th century a certain Maurice Martineau with a large collection of books lived there and as he passed away in 1928, the house and the books became the property of the city. Therethrough the municipal library came into being, and which it has been ever since. Only the Gothic choir with its grand bay and inscriptions reveal that this was once a house of worship.

Musée de L'Échevinage. An art museum in a former échevinage (a seat of municipal institutions under the Ancien Régime), classed as a historical monument. The artworks on display are mostly from the 19th century by French painters.

Musée Dupuy Mestreau. Ethnographic museum in a building constructed for Marquis Monconseil in the 18th century. There are many different kinds of historical objects on display; clothing (an extensive collection of headgear), objects of daily life from jewellery to earthenware, replicas of habitations and boats

Quartier Saint-Pallais Saint-Pallais at the right bank of Charente is, like the former, also a protected district. It has it roots in the Roman era with some Roman constructions still standing and was for a long time the main suburb of the city (just outside the city walls).

During the middle ages, the Abbaye aux Dames and the Saint-Pallais church were built here. In 1259 when Charente formed the border between French and English possessions, present-day Saint-Pallais was a French city facing an English city across the river. Still today it retains its distinct character and the gardens along the river bank is a popular place for locals on sunny days.

Place Bassompierre. A square built in 1843 and named after 17th century bishop Louis de Bassompierre. It's a kind of an esplanade in front of the Fernand-Chapsal gardens where the Germanicus arc was reassembled in 1851. On the square there's a statue of 16th century potter Bernard Palissy who pioneered the Palissy ware ceramics style. The square is a venue for different events and a departure place for river tour boats.

Arc de Germanicus. A triumphal arch built in 18 or 19 AD by Caius Julius Rufus, to celebrate emperor Tiberius, his son Drusus, and his nephew and adoptive son Germanicus. In Roman times it marked the eastern entrance to the city and was placed in the front of the bridge across Charente. When the quai was modernized in 1843-51, the arch was disassembled and rebuilt 15 m away at its current place. Some Roman inscriptions are still visible on the arch.

Musée Archéologique. Housed in 19th century slaughterhouse, this museum displays items from life during the Roman times. In particular, there's a great collection of gemstones excavated when ramparts were reconstructed in the late 19th century.

Église Saint-Pallais. Right next to the Abbaye aux Dames, of which it is an outbuilding, and for a long time the only parish church on the right bank. It was first built in the 12th century to replace Bishop Palladius' funeral basilica, and later modified into Gothic style. This led to some interesting details; columns becoming unused, the Romanesque apse being replaced by a flat bay in "flamboyant" Gothic style, and the bell tower being shortened and covered by an atypical slate roof. There used to be a small cemetery below what's now a public square next to the church.

Abbaye aux Dames. Founded by Count of Anjou Geoffroy Martel and his wife Agnes of Burgundy in 1047, it was once one of the most important female monasteries in southwestern France. It was richly endowed by the Dukes of Aquitaine and at its peak home to up to a hundred nuns from French nobility. Madame de Saintes, the abbess of this monastery, had a very powerful position. She carried a bishop's staff, for female religious leaders an almost unheard of privilege at the time, and also had the right to mint money and act as a judge. In 1320 it was placed under the protection of the French king, as the right bank became French territory, which greatly angered the Duke of Aquitaine (the English king). After the revolution, indeed already somewhat before, the monastery declined, and was converted into a jail and later a barracks. In the mid 20th century it became a religious building again, and is now also a cultural institution. The abbey also has a separate church, the Église Saint-Marie, which has an interesting bell tower which is said to look like a pine cone and a decorated portal, plus some additional buildings related to the abbey.

National stud farm of Saintes. In a forested park of 9 hectares in size, until 2019 you could experience living 19th century heritage in the form of horse breeding. In 2019 the place was sold to an advertising entrepreneur who plans to convert the buildings into a headquarters for southwestern France, but they'll also house a restaurant, rentable space for startup businesses and apartments. As such you can just admire the buildings from a distance.

Quartier Saint-Eutrope The first buildings here were estates (villae) built for rich patricians during the Roman times, they also had built the large amphitheater here. In the Middle Ages, in turn, a basilica was constructed to house the remains of Saint Eutrope, which became an important stop for pilgrims on their way to Santiago de Compostela. This is a green and calm part of the city, with some ancient houses lining steep streets between the basilica and the river and the Colline du Capitole which can be considered the balcony of the city.

Amphithéâtre gallo-Romain. Sitting in a green valley, the Roman amphitheater was built almost 2000 years ago under the rule of Tiberius and Claudius. It could seat 15000 spectators (undoubtedly much of the city's inhabitants) and was one of the most important in Gaul. It's built to an elliptical structure and has a size of 126 x 102 m, and fits neatly into the valley. The amphitheater was used as a stone quarry during the Middle Ages, so it's by no means intact. Little remains of the cavea (seating area), the gates are somewhat better preserved. Still it's an important historical monument from the time when the city was named Mediolanum Santonum.

Basilique Saint-Eutrope. Founded in 1081 by Guillaume VIII, Duke of Aquitaine, it's actually two churches superimposed on each other with stairs in the nave connecting them. The basilica was built to house the relics of martyred Saint Eutrope with his sarcophagus in the upper church and his skull in the lower church. It has been an important stop on the Way of St. James route to Santiago de Compostela ever since. In 1096, not long after it was finished, pope Urban II visited to preach the First Crusade. In 1886, pope Leon XIII promoted the status of the church to basilica. Basilique Saint-Eutrope is considered an architectonical masterpiece with its Romanesque walls, Gothic choir, 11th century baptismal fonts, paintings and stained windows and one of the largest Romanesque crypts in Europe in the lower church surrounding the sarcophagus of the saint.

Protestant church of Saintes. The main place of worship of the Reformed church in the city. The church, finished in 1906, was built in many different styles - Neo-Romanesque, Neo-Byzantine and Art Nouveau and listed as a historical monument in 1998.

Governor's house. One of the last parts of a 17th-century citadel. A few decades after its completion, the region of Saintogne revolted against the king, the rebellion was struck down, and Cardinal Richelieu ordered the citadel to be torn down. In addition to the governors house, there's little left of the fortifications. Later a Carmelite convent, a hospital (later wrecked) and a chapel was built on the grounds. The older buildings have been incorporated in the new Saint-Louis residential district.

Quartier Saint-Vivien Saint-Vivien is separated from the historical center by the Cours National street, and corresponds to the ancient suburbs of Saint-Vivien and Saint-Saloine, that were founded around Christian necropolises. 18th-century bourgeois houses line the streets and there are traces from the Roman Empire here too, the ruins of thermal baths. There are few shops in this district and it's off the traditional tourist path.

Saint-Saloine thermal baths. Reduced to ruins today, the Saint-Saloine thermal baths were the most important ones in the Roman city. They were built towards the end of the 1st century and modeled on similar baths in Rome. Over the centuries, the baths were first converted into a church, then abandoned in the 16th or 17th century. From the nearby terrace there are nice views of the surroundings.

Église Saint-Vivien. Built between 1840 and 1845 by the architect Brossard, this neoclassical church is the fifth church on the place; the first was built in the 5th century. The interior is covered in frescoes, paper decorations, stained glass windows. The façade is rather monumental with its pilasters, pediments and Italian-style belltower.

Green spaces In the 21st century the city government has been committed to expanding the natural areas of the city and preserving the biodiversity. There are three green areas covering a total of 220 hectares, making Saintes one of the greenest cities in the region.

Fernand-Chapsal public gardens. Formerly known as Parc Bassompierre, the garden on the Charente river offers great views to the old town and the cathedral. It's divided into a French and an English garden, and has a music kiosk and a playground for children.

Parc des Arènes. A green walk next to the amphitheater, connected to the rest of Saint-Eutrope by a pastoral path named Vallon des Arènes.

Prairie de la Palu. The region is famous for its meadows and here they reach into the city. A true conservatory for plants and birdlife, this area of 120 hectares has been listed as a protected European Natura 2000 area. It's also welcoming to visitors and has walking trails and signs presenting the ecosystems to visitors.

Do

Canoe and rowing boat rental. Canoes can be rented for half a day to take a relaxed trip on the Charente and admire the city and its surroundings from the river. It's very pleasant when the weather is good. A journey of 20 km will take about 7-8 hours, a journey of 12 km about 4 hours.

La Gabare de Saintes. Wooden ferry taking passengers on 1.5 hour-long river cruises where you can enjoy the landscapes and the city views in a relaxed way.

Les Santons. Small electric boats carrying five persons which can be rented without prior reservation and without a skipper's license required. Departing from Place Bassompierre.

Le Bernard Palissy II. A beautiful and comfortable cruise ship with 200 places. From the sun deck there are great views of the surroundings, and the sun deck has a bar and a covered lounge. There are morning, mid-day and afternoon cruises and the whole ship can also be rented for events like meetings or weddings.

Laser Lander. Shooting with laser guns in dark labyrinths. For teams of at least 6 people, and players need to be at least 7 years old. A game normally lasts 20 minutes. It's a good idea to dress in black and don't forget your water bottle!

Saintes Bowling. Twelve bowling tracks, rental of bowling shoes. There are also several billiard tables and a bar.

Full Karting. Karting track with a length of 700 m and karting cars for rent. For adults and children aged 8 and over (length requirement 1.35 m).

New Year's cavalcade. New year is celebrated on a great scale here with 30000 people attending the festivities. There are parades, light shows, concerts and many locals decorate their cars and drive around on New Years Eve before the streets are blocked to cars at four o'clock in the afternoon. On Facebook.

Les Oreilles en Éventail. Street art festival focusing on music and sound. There are lots of street musicians giving free concerts.

Fête de la Musique. Another music festival, but with focus on classical music. A temporary stage is built on the Place du Palais de Justice for a big concert in the evening.

National day. The national day is celebrated with a military parade through Saintes by the Air Force who have a base just outside the city as well as a popular ball at night in the Fernand-Chapsal gardens.

Sports Local sports clubs often welcome visitors to try out some sports such as different martial arts, water sports or team sports.

Stade Yvon Chevalier. A huge sports stadium with facilities for a range of track and field sports, rugby fields and tennis courts.

Golf Louis-Rouyer-Guillet. Founded in 1953, it's the oldest golf course in Poitou-Charentes. It's the heart of a park 40 hectares in size, and includes an 18 hole course, a practice course, a restaurant and the ruins of a Roman aqueduct.

Skate Park. One of the biggest skateparks in the region.

Centre aquatique Aquarelle. Big swimming complex designed by architect Éric Lemarié and opened in 2012. Indoors there's a 25-meter-long semi-Olympic pool, a leisure pool with a hot tub, a children's pool, a hammam, a sauna and a squash area. Outdoors there's another 25-meter-long pool with artificial waves and leisure facilities. Also used for events, there are seats for 500 persons indoors (year round) and another 600 persons outdoors (in the summer).

Salle de Sport Edenya. Gym arena open every day, with equipment for aerobic exercise.

Salle de Sport Origin. Gym with equipment for aerobic exercise, weightlifting and bodybuilding. There are also fitness dance classes.

Salle Double Impact. A small gym with classes in different martial arts from kickboxing to krav maga.

Gallia Theatre. The theatre was established in a building built by Parisian architect Bourla in 1852 and has remained the city's finest cultural institution ever since. The façade of the building with its many details remains original, the rest was thoroughly modified in 1932 and demolished and rebuilt in 2003. It has a theatre stage and a cinema for art movies. On Facebook.

Atlantic Cinema. One of the largest cinemas in the Poitou-Charentes with eight auditoriums. They screen the latest releases, as well as documentaries and shows including live broadcasts of shows at the Metropolitan Opera in New York. Some screenings have subtitles for the hearing impaired. On Facebook.

Buy

Cours National and Avenue Gambetta are the main shopping streets. The pedestrianized historical center has a lot of small specialized boutiques, especially along Rues Victor Hugo and Alsace-Lorraine.

Large supermarkets are unsurprisingly at the outskirts of the city; in the Parc Atlantique, at the Maréchal-Leclerc course, and in the Grandes Bauches, Terrefort and Fief-Mignon districts. The main shopping malls are Coteaux (around Leclerc hypermarket) and Hyper U.

Galeries Lafayette. The Galeries Lafayette chain has a store in Saintes. It's a good place for shopping for clothes, jewelry and cosmetics. On Facebook.

Centre Commercial des Boiffiers. A smaller shopping center with a supermarket and some smaller shops including a bakery, laundry shop and a book shop.

Intermarché des Boiffiers. The Intermarche store has also a gas station and a pharmacy.

Centre Commercial de Bellevue. Local shopping mall with a pharmacy, a library (with parcel service), a bakery and a restaurant.

Centre E. Leclerc - Abbaye. The only mall at the right bank of the Charente, with the same selection as the E. Leclerc in Coteaux at the left bank. It features a gas station and a small brewery.

Netto. Discount supermarket, part of the Intermarché group.

Lidl - Ormeau de Pied. Discount supermarket of the German chain, near the Coteaux mall.

Lidl - Nivelles. The second Lidl supermarket, in the east of the city.

Centre commercial des Coteaux. The most important mall in Saintes with surroundings, built around a E.Leclerc hypermarket. There's a cinema, many restaurants, chain shops as well as small boutiques.

Centre commercial Hyper U. Built around a Hyper U hypermarket, several small shops.

Markets The first Monday in the month, there's a fair in town, one of the most important fairs in the region. Expect to find what you're looking for and even more. In addition there's a market in somewhere in town from the morning to early afternoon every day except Monday.

Marché du Cours Reverseaux. Tuesday and Friday.

Marché dès la place St Pierre. Wednesday and Saturday.

Marché St Palais. Thursday and Sunday.

Eat

Cuisine The local cuisine benefits from the rich terroir. Traditional dishes often include meat (beef, Poitou-Charentes lamb, chicken and rabbit), fish and seafood as well as certain signature vegetables: cabbage, white beans from Pont-l’Abbé-d’Arnoult (locally called mojhettes), and the "sun vegetables" — tomatoes, zucchini and peppers.

The grand classics of the Charente cuisine are grillons (rillettes of meat cooked in its own fat), gigourit (offal and blood stew), cagouilles (snails cooked with breadcrumbs, garlic and white wine), and rabbit of beef à la saintongeaise, i.e. made with a sauce of pineau and cognac. Like much of southwestern France, foie gras and different confits are part of the traditional cuisine.

Specialities from the nearby coast include mouclade (mussels with cream) and éclade (mussels grilled on pine needles, a specialty of île d'Oléron). Oysters from Marennes-Oléron are served as such of with some shallot vinegar, crepes or sausages, are famous beyond the borders of France.

On the dessert side, there are the merveilles (beignets), millas (corn flour cake), torteau fromager (white cheesecake) and the galette charentaise (a type of cake with butter). The chichis, a variant of the Spanish churros, are also popular.

As well, the region is famous for cognac, and wines including le pineau des Charentes.

Akashiso. Japanese cuisine, mostly sushi sets. The food is prepared on-site with fresh ingredients.

À Croquer. Bakery and snack place with sandwiches, salads, wraps, crêpes and ice cream to eat there or take away. The establishment doesn't have an alcohol license but has a range of sodas and juice.

Burger Palace. A range of quality hamburgers, nuggets and sandwiches at low prices. There's a dining room upstairs for eating in, or you can take the food with you.

Pasta Verdura. "Pasta bar" with a range of pastas and sauces, local ingredients are used as much as possible.

Punjab. Specializing in dishes from the Indian subcontinent such as chicken tandoori, seekh kebab, and lamb tikka.

In addition, global fast food chains are present.

Crêperie Victor Hugo. An old town institution, here you can enjoy sweet and savoury Brittany-style crêpes.

Le Cargo. Buffets of fresh seafood and fish - this restaurant is about nothing else.

Le Clos des Cours. Inscribed in le Petit Futé et le Routard since its inception, it offers French cuisine in a welcoming environment. One of the few restaurants in town with many options for vegetarians, and there's also English service.

Gault Traiteur. French cuisine with excellent food and service. 25 seats indoors, 35 seat outdoors. Consider making a reservation, because the place is often full.

Le Gourmet d'Asie. Asian buffet with Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese and Thai dishes where you can eat as much you like. On Facebook.

Le Mandarin. One of the only Chinese restaurants in Saintes, the place to go if you'd like Chinese food.

La Romana. Italian pizzeria in a contemporary setting, also take-away. They also have Italian groceries and wine for sale.

Le Saintonge. Haute cuisine, a good place to go with large parties or to arrange a business meeting. The food is excellent but the ambience is a bit strict.

Le Parvis. Gourmet restaurant in the old town.

La table du Maroc. Moroccan restaurant with a view to the Charente. You can enjoy tagines, couscous and similar dishes here.

La Taverne de Maître Kanter. Alsatian cuisine and brewery with several types of choucroute (Sauerkraut).

Drink

Bar du théâtre. The theater bar is a nice place to have a glass direct next to the theater and justice palace.

Kraken Bar. Nice ambiance and sometimes small concerts. They also have tapas, tartines and ice cream.

La Musardière. In the heart of Saintes, in an old decorated building. Here you can enjoy good Italian chocolates, coffees and other hot and cold drinks.

Salisbury's Pub. A bar where young and old alike come to have a beer. They have a large selection of beers from England, Ireland, Belgium and Germany.

Opéra Latin. A lounge bar, brew pub and night club (at weekend nights) with a young clientele. In the weekends there's a DJ, and Thursday is student's night. Specializing in rum- and cognac-based cocktails.

Saintes Végas. The largest disco complex in the Poitou-Charentes with five dance floors and three restaurants. There are frequent themed nights. Several hotels are nearby and there's a dedicated bus service (Noctam'buss) on Friday and Saturday nights connecting the complex to central Saintes. On Facebook.

Patisserie au 38. Nice breakfasts. Also a bread shop (Boulangerie)

Sleep

The Originals Access, Hôtel Saintes Recouvrance. Modern budget hotel near the motorway.

Formule 1. Budget hotel with Wi-Fi, private parking, accessible rooms for disabled guests. Dogs are accepted.

Au fil de l'eau. Campground next to the Charente in a calm place, but just a 10-minute walk from downtown. Has washing facilities and Wi-Fi. Accessible for handicapped guests. Dogs accepted.

Camping Belle Rivière. Next to the Charente in a small village near Saintes. They have a restaurant, Wi-Fi and baby care facilities.

Auberge de Jeunesse de Saintes. Youth hostel near the Abbaye aux Dames with a capacity of 88 guests. Washing and cooking facilities and Internet access.

Saveurs de l'Abbaye. Hotel and restaurant.

Campanile. Hotel and restaurant with a small garden to relax in. Rooms have provate bathrooms, tv, air-conditioning and Wi-Fi. Accessible rooms for disabled guests.

Comfort Hotel. Wi-Fi. Rooms have a/c, tv, bathroom, coffeemaker. Accessible rooms for disabled guests.

Brit Hotel Au Bleu Nuit. Hotel with elevator, secure bike garage, Internet access, baby care equipment, private garage, terrace, Wi-Fi. Accessible rooms for disabled guests.

Hôtel de France. Elevator, secure bike storage, baby car equipment, fax, private garage, living room, TV room, Wi-Fi. Accessible rooms for disabled guests.

Hotel de l'Avenue. Rooms with private bathroom, Wi-Fi, flatscreen tv. Accessible rooms for disabled guests.

Bleynie-ruine de Rome. Bed and breakfast in a "house with an old heart" with four rooms. Rooms have tv and Wi-Fi. There are laundry facilities for guests and free parking.

Hôtel des Messageries. Downtown hotel in a 17th century postal building with modern facilities. Accessible rooms for disabled guests.

Aux Persiennes. Two rooms in a building from 1895 at the right bank of the river. Roos have tv, bathroom and Internet access.