In the print dialog pick “Save as PDF” to keep it on your phone. A5 makes a pocket booklet; A4 suits a desk printer.
Voykit pocket guide · France
Saintes
Give Saintes one full day and one night: Roman arch, amphitheatre and the two abbeys on foot, then move on to Royan or La Rochelle.
Saintes is a Roman crossroads town on the Charente, second city of Charente-Maritime after La Rochelle, with a walkable old town on both banks. The Germanicus arch, the amphitheatre and the Saint-Eutrope basilica carry two millennia of history in about half a day on foot. Most trips use it as a stop between La Rochelle and Bordeaux, or as a base for the Cognac vineyards and the Côte de Beauté beaches 30 km west.
- Country
- France
- Best months
- May–Jun, Sep–Oct
- Avoid
- Jul–Aug (inland heat, up to 5 °C (9 °F) warmer than the coast)Jul–Aug (inland heat, up to 9 °F (5 °C) warmer than the coast)
- Stay
- 1 night
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- EUR
- Money
- Currency is the euro (EUR, €). Contactless cards work in most shops, cafés and restaurants.
- Daily spend
- Budget €55–85 excl. bed · Mid €95–150 excl. bed · High €170+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Orange, SFR, Bouygues Télécom and Free sell prepaid SIMs in their shops and at tabacs; ID is required to register.
- Emergency
- European emergency 112 · Ambulance (SAMU) 15 · Police 17 · Fire 18
- Plugs
- Types C, E · 230 V · 50 Hz · Round two-pin plugs; type E sockets have an earth pin sticking out, so Schuko (type F) plugs need a C/E hybrid or an adapter.
- Tipping
- Café or bar: Leave small change, €0.20–1.; Restaurant: Service is included; leave 5–10% in cash for good service.; Taxi: Round up to the next euro or two.; Hotel porter or housekeeping: €1–2 per bag or per night.; Tour guide: €5–10 per person for a half day, more for private guides.
- Water
- Tap water is safe everywhere unless signed otherwise. Restaurants must serve a free carafe of tap water on request.
- Toilets
- Paris has free automatic public toilets (sanisettes); elsewhere use cafés (buy a coffee), museums and stations, where some charge €0.50–1.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee at a bar | €1.50–3 |
| Lunch menu (formule midi) | €14–20 |
| Pineau des Charentes, glass | €4–7 |
| Museum entry (Échevinage, Dupuy-Mestreau) | €4–8 |
| Taxi across town | €10–15 |
| eSIM or data SIM, about a week | €10–20 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- LRH · La Rochelle Île de Ré
- About 60 km (37 mi) northwest; nearest airport with passenger service. Check bus or hire car onward.About 37 mi (60 km) northwest; nearest airport with passenger service. Check bus or hire car onward.
- BOD · Bordeaux Mérignac
- About 100 km (62 mi) south; TGV or TER to Saintes via the Bordeaux line.About 62 mi (100 km) south; TGV or TER to Saintes via the Bordeaux line.
Typical fares
- BUSS urban ticket, one hour
- €1.10
- TER Saintes → La Rochelle
- about €15–20, 1 h (check)
- TER Saintes → Royan
- about €9, 45 min (check)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
The centre is compact and largely pedestrianised: cathedral, arch, amphitheatre and both abbeys are within about 20 minutes on foot of each other, though the amphitheatre and Saint-Eutrope sit uphill. BUSS runs three urban lines (A, B, C) plus a station shuttle; a one-hour ticket is €1.10. Free bikes via the Cyclocom stations need a €150 deposit and ID, returned same evening.
See and do
Known for
- Arch of Germanicus
- Roman amphitheatre
- Basilique Saint-Eutrope (UNESCO Way of St James)
- Abbaye aux Dames
- Cognac and Pineau des Charentes country
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Royan and the Côte de Beauté | TER train from Saintes station, or N150 by car | About 45 min by train |
| La Rochelle | TER or Intercité from Saintes station | About 1 h |
| Cognac | TER towards Angoulême, or N141 by car | About 40 min by train |
| La Tremblade and the Marennes oyster beds | Car via D728, or bus connections towards Marennes | About 1 h by car |
Sleep
- Vieux Saintes / Saint-Pierre
- Pedestrianised old town around Rue Alsace-Lorraine and Rue Victor-Hugo; walk to the cathedral, arch and river. Best for one night without a car.
- Saint-Pallais (right bank)
- Quieter, around the Abbaye aux Dames and the station side; riverbank gardens, 10–15 min walk to the old town.
- Around the railway station
- Practical for early trains; about 15 min on foot from downtown, so not the pick if you want evenings in the old town.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | Bonjourbon-ZHOOR |
| Thank you | Mercimair-SEE |
| How much is it? | C'est combien ?say kom-BYEN |
| Can I pay by card? | Je peux payer par carte ?zhuh puh pay-yay par kart |
| Where is the station? | Où est la gare ?oo ay la gar |
| The bill, please | L'addition, s'il vous plaîtla-dee-SYON seel voo pleh |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Say 'bonjour madame/monsieur' on entering any shop, bus or office; avoid: Asking a question before saying bonjour — it is read as rude
- Cheek kisses (la bise): Follow the other person's lead; one to four kisses depending on region; avoid: Initiating la bise with strangers or in business
- Addressing people: Use 'vous' and titles until invited otherwise; avoid: First names and 'tu' with older people or staff
- Restaurants: Wait to be seated in restaurants; call the waiter 'monsieur' or 'madame'; avoid: 'Garçon', snapping fingers, asking for the bill before you are finished
- Conversation: Debate is a pleasure; food, politics and philosophy are fair game; avoid: Asking about salary or religion; loud voices on trains
- Dinner at a home: Bring flowers (not chrysanthemums), chocolates or a good bottle; arrive 10–15 minutes late; avoid: Cutting the tip off a cheese wedge or asking for ketchup
- Dress: Smart-casual in cities; covered shoulders in churches; avoid: Beachwear in town centres
Scams and watch-outs
- The amphitheatre and Saint-Eutrope basilica are uphill from the river: allow 20–25 min walking each way.
- Much of the old town is pedestrianised and parking in the centre is limited; use the free edge-of-town car parks.
- Some sights keep seasonal or reduced hours outside summer: check the tourist office site before a winter trip.
- Summer inland temperatures run several degrees above the coast; carry water if you walk the Roman sites at midday.
A calm small city; the real risks are heat on the uphill Roman sites, uneven medieval lanes, and river levels after winter storms. Standard French city precautions at night apply.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Saintes yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Arch of Germanicus
- Roman amphitheatre
- Basilique Saint-Eutrope (UNESCO Way of St James)
- Abbaye aux Dames
- Cognac and Pineau des Charentes country
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Saintes tourist office: www.saintes-tourisme.fr/
- SNCF TER Nouvelle-Aquitaine — Saintes station: www.ter.sncf.com/nouvelle-aquitaine/se-deplacer/gares/saintes-87491001
- Wikivoyage: Saintes, revision 5307698 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5307698
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Saintes
À cette adresse, s'il vous plaît
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
No embassy in Saintes; the US and most countries keep embassies in Paris and a consulate in Bordeaux (check).
Tourist office: Place Bassompierre, near the Arch of Germanicus, +33 5 46 74 23 82.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/saintes). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.