Saintes was established by the Romans and is today a pretty market town famous for its architecture, both Roman ruins and Romanesque churches – and for being the birthplace of a certain Dr Guillotin! It is a lovely town to stroll around, go shopping and stop for a coffee or a meal.
A popular Roman tourist attraction is Les Arènas that’s found a little way out of the town – take the footpath by 54 cours Reverseaux. The remains of an amphitheatre, it was built in 40AD and once held 15,000 spectators. Today the seats are grassed over but you can still see the shape of the amphitheatre and get a sense of what it must have been like.
The Thermes de Saint-Saloine are the excavated remains of the early fourth century buildings and are thought to be part of a network of spas.
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