www.saintes-tourisme.fr. An attractive market town on both banks of the River Charente, Saintes was the regional capital of the Saintoge in Roman times. During the 11thC, it developed into an important religious centre and pilgrim stop on the Route Saint-Jacques to Santiago de Compostela.

On the right bank of the river, the leafy main street, cours National, boasts a number of fine 19thC buildings including the pretty Théâtre. Pedestrianized rue Alsace-Lorraine leads into the Old Town, where the Galerie Victor Hugo (formerly the Musée des Beaux-Arts), rue Victor-Hugo, has a collection of sculptures, glass works and enamels, and the Cathédrale Saint-Pierre crumbles perceptibly into a quiet square at the bottom of the street. A bit of a hike to the west, across cours Reverseaux, the pilgrim church of Saint-Eutrope is in far better shape. It is built on top of an ancient crypt, a short walk from the Roman Arénes (amphitheatre). Back down in a quiet street near quai de Verdun, the regional furniture, costumes and knick-knacks of the Musée Dupuy-Mestreau, 6 rue Monconseil, are laid out in an elegant 18thC town house once owned by the Marquis de Monconseil. A pleasant excursion from Saintes is by river to the brandy town of Cognac. There are summer season boat trips up the Charente to Cognac and on to Jarnac.

Follow the quays round to the footbridge by the covered market. You can pick up picnic ingredients here and head for the Jardin Public across the Charente. On the opposite bank, the Arc de Germanicus marks the position of the old Roman bridge, near the Musée Archéologique, where there is a showroom with exhibits devoted to Mediolanum – the ancient city here. The lapidary room is dedicated to public and funerary architecture. Off rue de I’Arc de Triomphe, the entrance to the Abbaye aux Dames is on place Saint-Pallais (named for the little Romanesque church just inside the walls). The abbey’s marvellous portal is a riot of angelic and fantastical imagery in high contrast to the simple interior with its single nave, domed transcept and tunnel-shaped sacristy, once a 15thC chapel.