Saintes

Tuesday, September 28th

My cappuccino at l'Eden

Before I left Barbezieux-Saint-Hilaire I sipped on a cappucino while thinking about my journey ahead at l'Eden Cafe on 25 Avenue Felix Gaillard. I decided to take my journey to Saintes, France. Here, there are many Roman ruins, so I thought it would definitely be an interesting journey. Saintes is about 54 km from Barbezieux, so it was only about a 55 minute drive going down the D700 and D137 routes. 


Before I got to Saintes I stopped in Pons which is also famous for their Cognac. I found a neat tour I thought I should take advantage of that took me to Hennessy Cognac only 13.2 miles away. I hopped on a Hennessy boat and crossed the Charente River. This also included learning how they make cognac, a visit to the museum, and a cognac tasting.

Hennessy Boat

Cognac Tasting

I finally decided to make the trip back across the river to Pons and back on the road towards Saintes. Saintes is along the Charente River, the same one I took the Hennessy Boat across. I decided to stay at Relais Du Bois Saint Georges. It's such a fun hotel located in the "sunniest part of the Atlantic Coast." All rooms have their own theme which makes the stay very interesting! It's so nice to enjoy the close by beaches, vineyards, and delicious wine!

Relais Du Bois Saint Georges

Roman Amphitheater

There is so much history and battle that took place in Saintes, such as King Louis IX defeating Henry the III as well as being known as a Pilgrimage site. Saintes is also popular for producing brandy, tile, iron goods, and pottery. When I arrived I went to visit the Roman Amphitheater. It was really neat to see! 




Resources:
http://hipparis.com/2009/06/15/smiling-cappucino-only-in-italy/
http://www.frenchconnections.co.uk/en/guide/placeofinterest/152893-hennessy-cognac
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/518467/Saintes
http://historic-cities.huji.ac.il/france/saintes/saintes.html#brief_history
http://www.booking.com/hotel/fr/relaisdubois.html?aid=322736