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International Comic Strip Capital
- 1hour 40 minutes from Paris and 35 minutes from Bordeaux by train, the historical town of Angoulême is these days renowned as the International Comic Strip Capital, thanks to its famous festival, Comic Strip Museum and cartoon-covered walls.
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Angoulême (French pronunciation: [ɑ̃ɡulɛːm] ⓘ; Poitevin-Saintongeais: Engoulaeme; Occitan: Engoleime) is a small city in the southwestern French department of Charente, of which it is the prefecture. Located on a plateau overlooking a meander of the river Charente, the city is nicknamed the "balcony of the southwest". The city proper's ...
- Angoulême Cathedral
- Musée d’Angoulême
- Upper Town
- Angoulême International Comics Festival
- Musée de La Bande Dessinée
- The Ramparts
- Paper Museum
- Hôtel de Ville
- Circuit Des Remparts
- Église Saint-André
Sitting high on a terrace with wide open views across the Anguienne Valley the cathedral was begun at the start of the 12th century and the initial work was finished less than 20 years later. At the entrance you’ll want to take a step back to behold the richness of the sculpture on this western facade. There are more than 70 sculptures and reliefs ...
In the Episcopal palace right next to the cathedral is the exceptional museum that recounts several thousand years of the Angoulême area’s history. So on the ground floor you’ll peruse artefacts like the grisly but riveting severed skull of a Bronze Age woman or the awesome Agris Helmet that was found in a cave in the Charente Basin and held as a m...
While exploring the highest and oldest neighbourhood in Angoulême it’s interesting to see the contrast between the northern and southern areas. The northern part has a tangle of narrow cobblestone streets hemmed by exquisite stone mansions and more rustic houses with wooden shutters. To the south though, at spots like Avenue Georges Clemenceau, you...
At the end of January every year the third-largest comic festival in the world pulls in hundreds of thousands of visitors to the city. Stores around the city open their doors for the event, which has been going since 1974 and builds up to an awards ceremony in which a list of prizes like comic of the year and the Grand Prix for lifetime achievement...
The big events during the festival happen at the Cité Internationale de la Bande Dessinée et de l’Image, a big complex that has a library, cinema and a congress centre. But for the rest of the year you can come for the Comic Museum (Musée de la Bande Dessinée). There are retrospectives for a host of international artists, from Charles M. Schulz to ...
The upper town was surrounded by walls from the days of the Roman Empire, and these were expanded and modified over the next 1,500 years. The last changes were made in the 1600s, but once the defences became obsolete in the 1700s the walls and gates were pulled down to allow Angoulême to expand along boulevards. What is left are scenic terraces wit...
Papermaking was big business in the Charente Valley because of the outstanding water purity, and a piece of this history is maintained at a former mill on a river island. This facility shut down in the 1970s and had been running since 1887. Nothing was removed when it closed, so you can check out a lot of old industrial machinery, including the wor...
When you’re exploring the upper town on the rocky promontory you’ll appreciate how difficult it would have been to conquer this place. What made things a lot harder for attackers was the Château d’Angoulême, a fearsome castle that is now incorporated into the city’s town hall. The remaining buildings from the medieval period are the keep and polygo...
In mid-September the streets of the upper town turn into a race track to commemorate a legendary post-war event. In the 40s and early-50s the Circuit des Remparts was a Grand Prix tearing through Angoulême and driven by the most famous names of the era like Juan Manuel Fangio, Raymond Sommer and Maurice Trintingant. The course was very quick with t...
In the 1860s Paul Abadie also had a hand in the renovation of this church, which was worse for wear after centuries of turbulence in which it was damaged by the Hundred Years’ War, French Wars of Religion and the Revolution. This has left Saint-André with an eclectic mixture of styles, but a lot of the oldest parts are still visible inside. The arc...
Map of Angoulême. You can get to Angoulême by the very frequent service in 2h10 from Paris Montparnasse, south towards Bordeaux, Libourne, Chalais, Arcachon and further south. You can get Corail intercities, TER, and the very well-known TGV, renowned for its speed.
What to do, what to see in Angoulême? Find a selection of activities, tips and must-see addresses. Comics, the sweetness of life and beautiful heritage discoveries along the Charente river.
By la rédaction. What should you definitely see, do and eat when you visit Angoulême? From the Plateau ramparts on the banks of the River Charente and the Comic Strip Museum to the city’s painted walls, and from the triangular Easter cakes known as cornuelles to Pineau des Charentes, this very incomplete list is just the beginning of a ...
Jul 1, 2023 · 1. Stroll along the ramparts. Old Angoulême is an amazing architectural jewel. By strolling along the ramparts you will be able to explore the city’s key monuments and parks. 2. Head off on a quest to find the city’s painted walls. Comic strips are here, there and everywhere in Angoulême, even on the walls.
43. Virtual visit. Add to favourites. Add to itinerary. French capital of the comic strip and designated City of Art and History, Angoulême sits high above the Charente river and is surrounded by ramparts.
