Attractions and Places To See around Vars - Top 20

Its location, near the city walls and an old city gate, corresponds to that of a primitive sanctuary, predating Christianity, probably a temple dedicated to Jupiter. A first cathedral was built during the 4th century, dedicated to Saint Saturninus. The building disappeared when Clovis captured Angoulême in 508, after he drove out the Visigoths following the victory at Vouillé in 507. Clovis and then King Charibert ordered the cathedral's reconstruction in honor of Saint Peter.[2] This second cathedral was consecrated in 566 by Saint Germain, Bishop of Paris, and Saint Euphronius, Bishop of Tours, and is mentioned in Gregory of Tours' History of the Franks.[Note 1] It was burned down, probably by the Normans. The third cathedral was the work of Grimoard of Mussidan, Bishop of Angoulême (991-1018). He was also Abbot of Brantôme in Périgord and used the abbey's revenues to finance its construction. Begun around 991 and consecrated in 1015, it lasted only a century, its dimensions being too small. Only the north wall remains in the second and third bays of the nave, beneath the windows.

The biblical accounts of the New Testament, which describe the events in the life of Jesus and his disciples, paint a very nuanced picture of the Apostle Peter (Saint-Pierre), to whom the church of Angoulême is dedicated: On the one hand, he is a convinced and determined disciple of Jesus, but also not free from human weakness and fear. In the Garden of Gethsemane, he falls asleep (like the other disciples) when Jesus turns to God the Father after the Last Supper and asks the disciples to pray as well; and after Jesus' arrest, Peter denies three times that he even knows him. But he also weeps over his weakness and, upon encountering the risen Christ, professes his love and loyalty to him. His real name is Simon, but Jesus gives him the name Peter (which means rock), upon which the church is to be built, and he gives him—according to the account of the Evangelist Matthew—the "keys to the kingdom of heaven."

On the forecourt of Angoulême train station are two stone monuments erected in homage to the author of the comic strip: a menhir and an obelisk. On the occasion of the fortieth anniversary of the death of René Goscinny, the René Goscinny Institute, with the support of the International Comic Strip Festival, is offering the City of Angoulême, the international capital of comic strips, a monument that will last a long time. Built in a public place, passers-by will be able to appropriate this obelisk and have fun deciphering its inscriptions. The obelisk for Goscinny is a stone monolith on which are engraved 82 quotes taken from the works of the screenwriter including Asterix, Lucky Luke, Iznogoud, Le Petit Nicolas, Les Dingodossiers... Some of these phrases are part of our everyday language: "They are crazy these Romans", "Find the magic potion", "Be afraid that the sky will fall on our heads", "Shoot faster than your shadow", "Want to be caliph in the place of the caliph"... Translated into 150 languages and dialects, the work of René Goscinny has traveled around the world. Thanks to his qualities as a screenwriter and the talent of his co-authors, Albert Uderzo, Morris, Sempé, Tabary, Gotlib, the comic strip becomes the 9th art. This monument is a tribute to the entire comic strip. https://www.angouleme-tourisme.com/equipement/parvis-de-la-gare-lobelisque-et-le-menhir/#:~:text=Cet%20ob%C3%A9lisque%20BD%20a%20%C3%A9t%C3%A9,cultes%20des%20albums%20d'Ast%C3%A9rix.

Originally, the Fleurac mill – on the Charente, at the foot of the castle of the same name – was a wheat and oil mill from the 16th century. It was almost entirely rebuilt at the end of the 19th century, transformed into a paper mill in 1978, then purchased in 1983 by the General Council of Charente and transformed into a paper museum. Abandoned for several decades, it was transformed into a paper mill in 1978 by Mr. Lacombe, descendant of a family of papermakers for four generations. Faced with financial difficulties, this attempt was taken over by an association “Les amis de la tradition papetière d’Angoumois et des provinces voisins” which relaunched the activity of this mill, where paper was made in a vat from linen and cotton using 18th century techniques. The manufacturing equipment and the water wheel were rebuilt. It has been listed as a historic monument since 1984. Today, the Moulin de Fleurac is private property but the site of this mill on the banks of the Charente remains a very popular place for tourists.

In the heart of the city, this town hall is truly impressive. This public building, the former castle of the Counts of Angoulême, was built in ten years starting in 1858. Paul Abadie Fils, the architect, will preserve two towers, one from the 13th century, the other from the 15th century. The monument presents different architectural styles, witnesses to the history of the city.

A temple dedicated to Jupiter would have been erected on the site of Angoulême cathedral in Gallo-Roman times. In the 4th century, a cathedral dedicated to Saint Peter was built. The Visigoths destroy it. The cathedral was rebuilt in the 6th century. This second building was destroyed in 981 following a fire linked to the Norman raids in the region. A new cathedral was then built by Bishop Grimoard de Mussidan. Nevertheless, the current cathedral is due to the eminent bishop Girard, legate of the Pope. The latter manages the site himself. He chose to cover his cathedral with cupolas as he observed similar ones in Périgueux and Cahors. It also shows originality by covering its facade with sculptures. Work began in 1110. The cathedral was probably almost completed in 1138, when it was consecrated. The cathedral is looted during the Wars of Religion. It served as the Temple of Reason under the Revolution. It underwent a radical restoration by the architect Paul Abadie who added to the facade its gable, its pinnacles and its equestrian statues. He also reconstructed the dome of the crossing and the bell tower.

Angoulême Town Hall is a public building built from 1858 to 18693 in the heart of the upper town of Angoulême. Designed by the architect Paul Abadie in a fairly eclectic style inspired in large part by medieval aesthetics and punctuated by some references to the Renaissance or Classicism3, it stands on the site of the former count's castle, which it does not only the Lusignan keep (13th century) and the Valois tower (15th century) remain 4. The belfry, which overhangs the whole and accentuates its monumental character, is largely posterior to these two constructions (19th century). The town hall is surrounded by terraces of cafes and restaurants as well as flower beds inspired by French gardens. Nearby, Place New York connects the town hall with the promenade du rempart Desaix, a little further to the west.

This building, in the heart of Angoulême, was formerly a castle and provincial residence and was transformed into a town hall from 1858 to 1869. It is built on the site where the castle of the Counts of Angoulême once stood. Two towers of the old castle have been incorporated into the building. It now contains museums of art and archaeology.