Taxi Bordeaux → Saintes

Saintes is one of the oldest cities in France and was the first capital of the Roman province of Aquitaine, under the name Mediolanum Santonum. Its Gallo-Roman heritage is exceptional: the Arc de Germanicus (1st century), moved stone by stone to the right bank of the Charente by Prosper Mérimée in 1843, greets visitors at the entrance to the historic centre. The Gallo-Roman amphitheatre, one of the oldest in Gaul (40 AD), could seat 15,000 spectators — its impressive ruins overlook the valley. The Saint-Saloine thermal baths complete this ancient panorama. But Saintes is also the capital of Saintonge Romanesque art: the Abbaye aux Dames (11th century), a Romanesque masterpiece, is now the Cité Musicale, a music and concert centre of international renown. The Church of Saint-Eutrope (Romanesque crypt UNESCO-listed as part of the Compostela routes) is an underground jewel. The Saint-Pierre Cathedral, rebuilt after the Wars of Religion, dominates the town centre with its imposing unfinished bell tower. The Charente flows gracefully through Saintes, lined with flowered quays and white stone houses. The Saintes Festival (classical music, July) attracts music lovers from around the world to the sublime setting of the Abbaye aux Dames.