Page 412 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - France

26
Did You Know? Angoulême
! C5 ⌂ Charente £ @
Every major wine town n 7 bis rue du Chat; www.
has a Maison du Vin, angouleme-tourisme.com
which can provide
information on visits The celebrated 12th-century
to a château.
Cathédrale St-Pierre, which
EXPERIENCE Poitou and Aquitaine g on the site. One of its most Medieval buildings at
dominates this industrial
centre, is the fourth to be built
interesting features is the
Romanesque frieze on the
Aubeterre-sur-
façade. The cathedral’s
Dronne
liturgical treasures are on
show in a stunning display
! C5 ⌂ Charente @
designed by contemporary
n 8 pl du Champ de Foine;
artist Jean-Michel Othoniel.
www.sudcharente
tourisme.fr
cathedral was carried out by
World Heritage Site
The chief ornament of this
the 19th-century architect
pretty white village is the Some restoration work to the St-Émilion, a UNESCO
Abadie. In his eagerness to
staggering monolithic Église wipe out all details added Bande Dessinée, which takes
St-Jean. Dug out of the white after the 12th century, he place in January or February.
chalky cliff that gave the destroyed a 6th-century crypt. The Cité Internationale de
village its name (Alba Terra – Unforturnately, he was also la Bande-Dessinée et de
White Earth), some parts of it let loose on the town’s former l’Image has a reference
date back to the 6th century. château, transforming it into a collection of French print and
Between the Revolution and Neo-Gothic Hôtel de Ville film cartoons dating back to
1860, it served as the village’s (town hall). However, the 1946. From here, a footbridge
cemetery. It contains an early 15th-century tower, where leads to the Musée de la Bande
Christian baptismal font and Marguerite d’Angoulême, sister Dessinée, where the history,
an octagonal reliquary. of François I, was born in 1492, techniques and aesthetics of
The Romanesque Église still stands. Her statue can be the art form are explained.
St-Jacques is also of note for seen in the garden. The ram-
its fine sculpted façade. parts offer a bracing walk with Cité Internationale
The rest of the village is views over the Charente Valley. de la Bande-Dessinée
made up of white houses with Angoulême has become et de l’Image
honey-coloured roofs, built in the capital of comic book "' -= ⌂ 121 rue de
terraces along the massif over- (bande dessinée) art, hosting Bordeaux # 10am–6pm Tue–
looking the Dronne valley. the prestigious Festival de la Fri, 2–6pm Sat & Sun
¢ Public hols ∑ citebd.orgz
27
Bassin d’Arcachon
! B5 ⌂ Gironde g To Cap
Ferret £ @ n Espl Georges
Pompidou; www.arcachon.
com
In the middle of the Côte
d’Argent the straight coastline
suddenly forms a lagoon.
Famous for its natural beauty,

The atmospheric interior of
the monolithic Église St-Jean
at Aubeterre-sur-Dronne
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