Amphithéâtre gallo-romain de Saintes — Attraction in Saintes

Amazing place in the outskirts of Saintes. You come to it through the 21st century streets, go through the entrance and wow! You're back in AD 50. The arena is a complete oval, many of the original arches of the East Gate are there and you can imagine the noble folk processing down to take their places- or the unfortunate vanquished being removed thro the West Gate or the Porta Libitinensis, the Gate of the Dead. You can walk up the stairs and freely roam the whole area- something I can't see happening if this was in UK!. Best to wear walking shoes tho as the arena was very muddy (it rained before our visit) even tho the surface is sanded. You are given a very good sheet in English on arrival which identifies the structures and gives some history. The lady at the kiosk and shop spoke very good English and was very welcoming. Excellent value for money...

The Gallo-Roman amphitheatre of Saintes is an amazing remnant of our long ago past. We rented the audio guides (available in English and French) and spent a fascinating 45 minutes immersing ourselves in history and architecture. Don't miss the photo exhibition on the outer wall; just follow the green line around to the back of the Accueil building. It shows photos of all the phases of the amphitheatre for the last 200 or 300 years. There is an ingenious picnic table to enable someone in a wheelchair to pull up under the top and enjoy a meal at a table....

It's a bit of a challenge to find in a car, parking is limited at the front gate. You can see most of the site for free from beside the entrance. Entry is free for disabled visitors but to get in you have to go up two steps, and then you won't get very far without meeting more flights of steps. But if you can walk around it is worth the €4 admission. Much of the amphitheatre was based on the slope of the hill but the remains of the East wall are impressive. Would be a good site to give kids a taste for visiting...