Angoulême, city of Art and History
Best known for its International Comic Strip Festival, Angoulême has also inherited an admirable historical and religious heritage which attracts many tourists and visitors.
The city, acropolis city of the Aquitaine Basin, is thus located on a plateau which overhangs the river of Charente. A dominant position which has earned it the nickname of "balcony of the South-West" but which has especially long made it a coveted stronghold, undergoing numerous sieges. The city today preserves many vestiges of this turbulent past.
The ramparts established in Roman times bear witness to this. Several times destroyed and rebuilt, they are now classified as historical monuments.
For its part, the site of the old Angoulême castle, of which only the Lusignan keep (13th century) and the Valois tower (15th century) remain, now houses the town hall.
The city also has many religious buildings that have survived the centuries: the chapel of the Cordeliers convent known as the hospital chapel, the former Carmelite convent, the remains of the Saint-Ausone abbey, those of the Saint abbey. -Cybard, the Saint-André church, or even the Saint-Pierre d'Angoulême cathedral, eminent example of regional Romanesque art.
At the bend of the small squares and winding alleys, walkers will appreciate the beauty of old Angoulême.
A green flow along the Charente
Nature lovers, for their part, will continue their getaway behind the wheel of their Europcar Atlantique rental car with a stroll in the Charente valley. Located upstream from Angoulême, this territory is classified as a Natura 2000 zone and has many remarkable bird species. The opportunity to enjoy beautiful walks along the river.
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