Angoulême is the main city of the department of Charente.
With a population of about 50 000 inhabitants in the center and 50 000 in the peripheral suburbs, Angoulême is the biggest pool of population of the department.For centuries, Angoulême has been sitting with pride on its rocky peak, yesterday surrounded with strong ramparts, the city has now developed beyond its ancient limits ....
The people of Angoulême are rather reserved and happily stay behind the closed doors of their beautiful residences. We have had a hard time finding the information you will find in this page. The different contributors seem to jealously keep their information for their own diffusion network. You will not see on this site any inside picture of the monuments - we have not been able to get the necessary approvals-.
With our friends help we have managed to gather the essential information on leisure, monuments and the city activities.
Except for these few administrative worries, we have very much enjoyed Angoulême and its people, who have shown us places rich in history and some...damn good tables...
Historical landmark |
The cradle of Angoulême is the top of the hill known as d'Ecolisma, where the ancestors of the people of Angoulême settled safely in the past.Saint-Ausone and especially Saint-Cybard, which gave its name to over 20 churches of the diocese, evangelized the city which little by little spread down from the "plateau" to the valley.
Hence, we can see in the old Angoulême; the high city and the low city.
The upper city includes in the north the primitive Angoulême, with its narrow streets, its City Hall located in the ancient castle and, in the south, the prefecture department, with its wide avenues and its beautiful bourgeois home fronts.
The lower city comprises the working-class areas, the first is the one of Saint-Cybard, close to an ancient abbey, where the bridge crosses the Charente.
ngoulême holds the souvenir of Marguerite de Valois, sister of François the 1st, clever and well-read woman who was the maternal grand-mother of Henri IV. It remembers the writers Guez-de-Balzac (1597-1664) and Honoré de Balzac who adopted Angoulême as his city.
The modern city has grown around the ancient, and industrial zones fill the wide peripheral areas.
The industrial vocation of Angoulême was set a long time ago: It was born during the middle-age from the possibilities offered by this magnificent water way made of the Charente and its tributaries. It established itself during the 17th century, when about a hundred mills were producing water-marked paper for Holland. There is not much left of the industrial paper activity today.
The City-Hall called the Castle |
The castle of the Lords of Angoulême has been the property of City-Hall since 1840, it was deeply rearranged at this time. The architect Paul Abadie junior was in charge of the work, and the least we can say is that he did some heavy modifications. The only relics that were spared by Adabie are the two towers.We recommend the magnificent sight from the top of the two towers. For the visit, contact the City-Hall patrimony services - located at the left end corner of the courtyard -. Know that it is in the round tower that Marguerite of Angoulême was born. Her statue can be seen in the beautiful gardens surrounding the building.
From far away, the belfry high tower holding the clock, announces the presence of City-Hall. The facades are all different. On the gardens side, the facade shows big windows openings, filling the great lounges (once the ballroom) with light. The courtyard is closed by more sober long constructions, occupied by the administration.
As you will agree, a renovation of the facades would be appropriate, however the city finances do not make it possible at this time. Indeed, as a result of a hazardous management from the old municipal team, the city debt is colossal, and the investments must be chosen by order of strict priority.
The Saint-Simon hotel |
This house is located in the old part of the city. It is a townhouse, which is the residence of rich proprietors, and was referred to by the name of its residents the Saint-Simon-Montbléru family.The building surrounds a courtyard. Its facade is abundant of ornaments. It is covered with horizontal banners and with vertical pilasters. Diamond forms and medallions, sometimes carved with characters busts, brighten up these banners and pilasters. The skylights on the roof are still decorated. The large windows are divided in four parts by mullions.
The entrance is in the square courtyard where the spiral staircase is. Built during the 16th century this hotel is of renaissance style. The architect of the Saint-Simon house was probably inspired, in his choice of decorative designs, by the castle of La Rochefoucauld, built during the same era.
The hotel is currently used by the FRAC (Regional Funds of Contemporary Art), institution established in 1983 by both the ministry of Culture and the ministry of the Poitou-Charente region. Its main mission is to collect contemporary artworks for the region. Today, the FRAC has gathered a capital of 450 artworks representing some 200 French and foreign artists.
The ramparts |
The ramparts of Angoulême surround the city for about 3 kilometers. Built at the end of the Roman epoch, they have been modified and extended several times during the middle-age and until the 16th century. They consist of square and round towers and fortified doors, such as the door of the "Palet" or of "Saint-Pierre".From the 17th century to the 19th century, these ramparts, having lost their utility, were gradually razed and converted to a walkway. The doors were demolished in order ease the transit.
it is from the Ladent tower (north rampart), that Guillaume Resnier de Goué tried to fly in 1801! For that purpose, he had build a flying machine with two wings of iron wire topped with feathers. Bird-man, he took off from the top of the ramparts and crossed the Charente. He accomplished a flight of over 300 meters, but broke a leg while landing.
The cathedral |
The Saint-Pierre cathedral holds in its stones the marks of its long history. It was built in the first half of the 12th century. In 1562, it was partly destroyed by the Calvinists. Mesneau had it fixed in 1634 and later on, Abadie finished the remodeling work.The facade reveals a great richness. It is a gigantic page of sculptures of great decorative beauty. Over 70 characters, statues or bas-relief, symbolize the last judgment presided by a Christ in admirable Majesty. The roman bell tower, 50 meter high, tops the north transept.
Inside, the nave is covered of a row of cupolas on pendentives. Beautiful capitals can be seen in the chapel supporting the tower, at the extremity of the left transept.
The cathedral of Angoulême has a great influence on the other buildings of the department, however it has to be put into perspective. Indeed, the region of Angoulême was owned by the department of Aquitaine, placed under the authority of the counts of Poitou. They maintained considerable relationships; religious with the pilgrims, economic and military with Spain.
It is these various influences that make the Roman churches in Charente rich.
The museums of Angoulême |
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It is at the chevet of the Saint-Pierre cathedral, in the old diocese of Angoulême, where it is located since 1920, that you will discover this museum and its remarkably diverse collections: first the ancient collection of the Beaux-Arts, collected since its creation in 1989, French, Italian and Flemish paintings (16th - 19th centuries), paintings and sculptures from the Charente region (19th - 20th centuries), well depicted in six halls and galleries. On the first floor of the museum, in the big gallery, the painters and sculptors of Charente exhibition will be revamped this year. A selection of our most beautiful ceramics, coming from the pottery of Angoulême or of the Charente region, and from the prestigious production centers of Rouen, Marseille or Moustiers, is presented again to the visitors, in a renovated hall, next to ancient weapons such as spectacular hunting arquebus, harness pieces, spurs, swords or pistols. The Beaux-Arts museum is still the home of quite exceptional collections. The collection of archaeology and paleontology of the Charente, which never cease to enrich from the discoveries of the current excavations, is represented by a very beautiful selection of objects, found in the main prehistoric sites of the Angoulême region. It is in this hall, which amazing museography will transport you to discovery world, that you will admire, for instance, the famous Celtic helmet of Agris. Also exceptional are the African and Oceanian ethnographic collections, regularly improved since the initial contribution from Dr. Lhomme n 1934, who made the museum of Angoulême one of the first French museum for this specialty. You will discover through their productions, artwork or ordinary objects, the still unknown civilizations of black Africa and the Pacific islands A hall is devoted to these exhibitions which follow one another all year long. 16000 Angoulême Open every on Monday to Friday 12h - 18 h Saturday and Sunday 14h - 18 h. Full price: 15 FF Groups : 10 FF Discount price: 5 FF Free under 18 years old Free for everyone between noon and 2 pm Tel : +33 (0)5 45 95 07 69 fax : +33 (0)5 45 95 98 26 |
Established in 1988 in the old cigarette paper factory "Le Nil", bridge-building on the Charente, two steps from the Ecole de l'Image (the video school) and of the CNBDI, this museum gathers collections concerning the paper making industry in France and in the region of Angoulême. Souvenir of an industry, it will also be the place of remembrance of the Saint-Cybard district in the heart of the future "Pôle Image" of Angoulême. Currently at the lower level of the Charente region, where in the old days six paddle wheels were spinning leaving their marks engraved in the stone, a documentary exhibition, shows the various stages of paper and cardboard manufacturing, an historic exhibition; the industrial paper mill of Charente: statement of state of repair, sums up about 200 years of paper making activity in our department. The first floor offers to the visitors two temporary exhibition halls, one devoted this year to the cigarette paper history and production: rolling paper, the other to the lithography of Charente during the 19th and 20th centuries: printing in the stone age. 16000 Angoulême facing the CNBDI Open from Tuesday to Sunday from 2 PM to 6 PM, except on holidays. Free entry Free presentations with appointment Tel : +33 (0)5 45 92 73 43 |
The Festivals in the Angoulême region |
The 9th Art International Festival Meeting. Since1974, artists and publishers from all over the world meet in Angoulême. This most unusual event spreads all over the city ! The National Comic Strip and Video Center (comic strip and multimedia library museum), the cultural center, the museums, the theater, and also the cathedral, the banks and businesses present exhibitions, shows and orchestrations. People find their favorite books and meet their favorite authors under 6000 square meters of "balloons". Festival International de la Bande dessinée 2 Place de l'Hôtel de Ville 16000 Angoulême - France Tel : +33 (0)5 45 97 86 50 Fax : +33 (0)5 45 95 99 28 |
Created in 1976, the festival of Angoulême, originally devoted to French and European Jazz, progressively opened its doors to world music. Ambitious for new discoveries, "Musiques Métisses" represents today a place for creation, encounters, North-South conversations, a true springboard for all the great artists of the French, English and Portuguese speaking Africa, the Indian Ocean and the Caribbean islands. A festive week with concerts, street shows, local animation, cuisine of the world... Association Musique Métisses 6 rue du point du jour BP 244 16016 Angoulême Cedex- France Phone : +33 (0)5 45 95 43 42 Fax : +33 (0)5 45 95 63 87 |
Every year, around mid-September, Angoulême hosts one of the greatest historical car racing show. For three days, the party goes on at the "Circuit des Remparts", with the contest of elegance, the rally, the state contest, and the event ends joyfully on Sunday with the famous races on the tracks. The tracks are in fact a urban trail in the city center of Angoulême, converted for the occasion, like in Monaco for the Grand Prix of Formula 1. 15 000 spectators, over 200 participants behind the wheel of competition cars and motorbikes from the 20's to the 70' are also part of the program. Formula 1, prototypes, tourism, the enthusiast finds in Angoulême plenty to satisfy his craziest dreams! Circuit des Remparts - ACOCRA - Hôtel de Ville BP 1370 16016 Angoulême cedex - France Phone : +33 (0)5 45 94 95 67 Fax : +33 (0)5 45 94 95 66 |
"Piano en Valois" is a festival that was created in Angoulême in 1994, as a result of the French summer demonstrations. Piano en Valois favors the pianists who are the most representative of contemporary sensibilities. Legends of the 20th century, such as Shura Cherkassy, Earl Wild, Gyorgy Sandor confirm the need for artistic programs for Piano en Valois in the European festivals. Finally, the choice of the two first weekends of October enables this new festival to be linked, in a special way, to the cultural events of Angoulême and of the Poitou-Charentes region. Piano en Valois 4 rue des Trois Notre Dame 16000 Angoulême - France Phone : +33 (0)5 45 94 74 00 Fax : +33 (0)5 45 38 13 74 |
The "Gastronomades", launched in 1995 by the Regional Council of Poitou-Charentes, is a delightful journey through flavors, goods, tasting places and also books, magazines, pictures. The concept of the show is to organize a friendly event in the entire city with a center of attraction at the CNBDI where a show of gastronomic communication takes place. On the program: round tables, a panorama of television programs, exhibitions of books and autograph sessions, tasting and... some memorable lunches and dinners Angoulême is the preferred place to eat, every year, for three days! Gastronomades / CNBDI 121 rue de Bordeaux 16000 Angoulême - France Phone : +33 (0)5 45 38 65 65 Fax : +33 (0)5 45 38 65 66 |
