French capital of the comic strip and designated City of Art and History, Angoulême sits high above the Charente river and is surrounded by ramparts.
The old town has lots of interest: Saint-Pierre cathedral, which dates from the 12th century and has a high tower and remarkable facade carved in the Poitevin Romanesque style, a town hall with flower garden, ramparts offering a magnificent view of the Charente valley, mansions, lively narrow streets to wander around and numerous cartoons painted on walls.
In the lower part of Angoulême, the National Comic Strip and Image Centre is a must. This place is home to, among others, a museum dedicated to the world of comics, which notably exhibits a magnificent collection of original drawings, and a library of comic books. It’s heaven for comic strip fans! Not to be missed either, the famous Angoulême International Comics Festival, which takes place every year at the end of January.
Situated on the Charente river in the buildings of the former paper-making industry, the Le Nil paper museum is dedicated to the paper-maker industry, explaining its history and the various stages of paper production.
The Fine art museum, housed in the former bishop’s palace, contains paleontological, archaeological and ethnographical collections (African and Oceanian art), as well as paintings and ceramics.