Saintes brings together Roman history, Romanesque architecture, and music for a cultural trip with a range of options. The amphitheatre, arch, museums, and religious buildings reveal different chapters of the city’s history. You can also explore the city on foot or take a tourist route featuring named landmarks. You can focus on antiquity, architecture, collections, or a festival in July rather than trying to cover every topic in a single visit.
Roman history and its traces through time
The Gallo-Roman amphitheatre was built around 40–50 AD under Emperor Claudius. Its grounds are regularly used for concerts, theatre performances, and national events such as Archaeology Days. If you would like to combine your visit with an event, check the current programme and specific dates before your trip.
The Arc de Germanicus points to an earlier period in Roman history. It was built in 18–19 AD at the entrance to the Roman bridge that led into the city, stands at the end of the Via Agrippa, and preserves an inscription in honour of Tiberius and Germanicus. By comparison, the amphitheatre was built later, around 40–50 AD. The dates reveal two distinct phases of construction; the inscription on the arch adds a historical dedication to the architectural perspective.
The Musée archéologique offers a picture of ancient Saintes 2,000 years ago through its urban layout and the lives of its inhabitants. Its sculptures date from the 1st and 2nd centuries AD; they adorned public and private spaces in the city. Everyday objects also explore themes such as domestic games, religion, and food. The museum thus brings together the urban environment, art, and daily life: the sculptures offer a glimpse of the spaces once adorned, while the objects provide insight into specific aspects of everyday life.
Romanesque architecture and audio tours
The Basilique Saint-Eutrope is home to one of the largest Romanesque crypts in Europe. At the Abbaye aux Dames, you will find a different focus: this former Benedictine abbey, founded in 1047, offers 3D audio tours from the cloister to the bell tower. The two sites therefore offer distinct experiences: the Romanesque crypt is the focus at Saint-Eutrope, while the audio tours at the Abbaye connect several named areas.
Walking tour, festival, and riverside scenery
The Festival de Saintes takes place every year in July and presents concerts of early and Baroque music. If you are planning a trip around a particular concert, check the current programme and dates. The recurring July schedule is useful for seasonal planning, but you will still need to plan around the specific performances.
Two different options are available to help you find your way around the city. A walking tour through Saintes and its history is available from the tourist office and starts at the Arc de Germanicus. The green tourist route connects five major landmarks: the Abbaye aux Dames, the Arc de Germanicus, the Cathédrale Saint-Pierre and the old town, the Église St Eutrope, and the Gallo-Roman amphitheatre. The Arc features in both options: it is the starting point for the walking tour and a stop on the green route.
The Charente adds a natural highlight. Above Saintes and along its final stretch, the river flows gently at a slight gradient between broad floodplain meadows; this stretch is well suited to relaxation. This description applies to these sections of the river, not to the river as a whole. You can choose what to focus on in Saintes based on your interests: Roman monuments, museum exhibits, Romanesque architecture, a possible music event, or a relaxing visit to the riverside sections described here.
Discover more destinations: Pessines, Brives-sur-Charente, Périgny, Bougneau, La Brée-Les-Bains, Saint-Genis-De-Saintonge, Vervant, Nieul-Le-Virouil
For the main travel overview: Charente-Maritime.
