DEUX CHARENTES ❘ GREAT DESTINATIONS 12 MUST-SEE SITES IN THE DEUX CHARENTES Explore the best attractions, historic sites and architectural delights the Deux Charentes has to offer For more
places to visit, go to www. infiniment-
charentes.com
TRANSPORTER BRIDGE, ROCHEFORT
Glide across the river Victorian- style in this moving platform, hanging by cables from a bridge above it. It was designed to allow large ships to pass. €3.20 for a return trip.
www.pont-transbordeur.fr
AQUARIUM LA ROCHELLE Founded in 1970, it is one of the largest private aquaria in Europe, home to 12,000 creatures in three million litres of water. Residents include jellyfish, turtles and some
very impressive sharks. €17.50 for adults and €12.50 for kids.
www.aquarium-larochelle.com
MUSÉE MARITIME, LA ROCHELLE Step on board the various boats moored in the Bassin des Chalutiers, including ocean
weather ship France 1 and fishing trawler the Angoumois, for an insight into life on the waves.
museemaritime.larochelle.fr
ARÈNES GALLO-
ROMAINES, SAINTES One of the most stunning Roman amphitheatres in France, this
venue dates from 40 AD and was once used for gladiator fights. €4 entry fee, but free for those aged 19 and under.
www.ville-saintes.fr
ARC DE GERMANICUS, SAINTES
On the bank of the Charente, this 15m-high Roman triumphal arch was built in 19AD and dedicated to the emperor Tiberius, his son Drusus Julius Caesar and his nephew Germanicus.
en.saintes-tourisme.fr
BANDE DESSINÉE, ANGOULÊME
Famous for its annual comic book festival, Angoulême is home to La Cité internationale de la Bande Dessinée et de l’Image, dedicated to the art form with a museum, library, bookshop and cinema.
www.citebd.org
LA PALMYRE ZOO
Open 365 days a year, this zoo in Les Mathes is home to more than 1,600 mammals, birds and reptiles, including lions, hippos, giraffes, chimps, cheetahs, orangutans, leopards, rhinos and elephants. Allow four hours for a visit. €19.
www.zoo-palmyre.com
BASILIQUE SAINT- EUTROPE, SAINTES This Romanesque beauty,
featuring an 80m-tall Gothic bell tower and one of the largest
crypts in Europe, is a UNESCO World Heritage site. Work on it started in the 11th century.
www.saintes-tourisme.fr
LES LAPIDIALES
“They have given their souls, their sweat, their emotion, their talent,” say the owners of this open-air sculpture park of the 100 or so artists who have carved works into this disused stone quarry near Saintes. Free to visit.
www.lapidiales.org
ABBAYE DE TRIZAY Dating back to the 11th century, this Romanesque abbey was restored in 1990, and now boasts stunning modern stained-glass windows. Look out for the frescoes in the monks’ dormitories and the medieval-inspired garden.
www.abbayedetrizay17.fr
COGNAC HOUSES Altogether there are 280 or so Cognac houses in the Charente. Maison Hennessy offers five tours, ranging from €25 to €500 for a
four-hour master class plus tasting with hors d’oeuvres by a Michelin-starred chef.
www.hennessy.com
TOWERS OF LA ROCHELLE
Part of the medieval fortifications that once protected this city, there are three towers in La Rochelle: Tour Saint-Nicolas, Tour de la Chaîne and Tour de la Lanterne. €9.50 gets you access to all three.
www.tours-la-rochelle.fr ❯❯
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