After a leisurely start we walked into Saintes town centre to see the sights in this very historical town. First stop was the Abbaye aux Dames, a women’s monastery now being used for a music school and an unusual hotel. There was an exhibition of opera costumes as well..

We walked past the Arch of Germanicus built in Roman times (18AD) and then over the footbridge to Saint-Pierre Cathedral stopping en-route for a very tasty lunch.

This was followed by a walk across town to another impressive church – Saint-Eutrope Basilica. There are some famous Romanesque crypts under the building but they had been shut a few days earlier for renovation work🙁. Our last stop was at the Roman Amphitheatre, one of the best preserved in France.