Angouleme
Angouleme is 130 kilometres north-east of Bordeaux, in the Charente region of Poitou-Charentes overlooking the southern edge of the Charente River. (The painting-picture was used because it was one of the first colour photographs ever taken, in 1877!)
Angouleme stands distinguished on its rocky promontory, surrounded by large boulevards - these stand above the original ramparts that protected the town, with more than 2km of the ramparts remaining intact. The boulevards are wide, open streets with good views across the surrounding countryside.
Angouleme old town is based around the chapel and has some interesting medieval houses (some rather grand) along the pedestrianised cobbled streets.
Within the town there are two main features - the cathedral and the town hall. Although both have been significantly altered over the centuries you can still see vestiges of their earlier origins:
- The Roman style Cathedral of Saint Peter dates back 900 years but has been altered a great deal since. It is the ornately decorated facade that holds the most interest, with 70 carvings depicting the story of the Ascension
- The town hall was built on the site of an earlier chateau, of which just two towers now remain.
There are also several museums in the town, including a Museum of Fine Arts, a Museum of Paper (the prosperity of the town was originally founded on the production of paper); and an Archaeology Museum.
Angouleme Comics
The high point in the calendar of Angouleme is the International Comic festival that is held in the town each January. This important event also explains why you will sometimes come across walls painted in cartoon style as you explore the town.
Visit Angouleme (Poitou-Charentes, Charente) travel, gites and hotels
Best Prices on Hotels in Angouleme - Guaranteed
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The Angouleme hotels listed feature descriptions, guest reviews, ratings, location maps, online booking etc. as well as the 'best-price' guarantee. The search for hotels in Angouleme is provided by booking.com. General holiday / vacation options- See Poitou-Charentes gites for Angoulême holiday rentals - Holiday villages in Poitou-Charentes Holidays nearbyLooking for something close by? See a wide choice of hotels, holiday villages and holiday rentals at: Angouleme Car HireVisit Angouleme Car Hire for cheap car hire optons and available car collection points VisitSee Visit Angouleme for places to visit near Angouleme including: a detailed map, villages in bloom and most beautiful villages DiscussAsk questions or leave a comment about Angouleme in our Poitou-Charentes forum Airports near AngoulemeAngouleme airport at 10 km Bergerac airport at 101 km Bordeaux airport at 133 km Limoges airport at 115 km Poitiers airport at 102 km Angouleme property for saleSee Poitou-Charentes property for sale
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Tourist Classifications for Angouleme
- Listed as "Ville d'Art et Histoire" (ie focus on preserving the town heritage)
- Town is "Ville Fleurie category 4" (ie good attention to gardens and flowers)
Places to visit near Angouleme, France
Explore places of interest within about 70 kilometres on a map at places near Angouleme.
Some places to visit within 30 km: 
10 km: Angouleme airport (airport) 14 km: Torsac (village)
See also Angouleme (version Francais)
