We’re off to visit the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region! The Charente with its south-western flair: here’s where to stay in Angoulême!
Prefecture of the Charente department, and perched on a spur overlooking a meander of the Charente river and its confluences, the city ofAngoulême is nicknamed « the balcony of the Southwest » because of its topography. With an estimated population of 110,000 in the urban area, Angoulême is a recognized « ville d’art et d’histoire », boasting an incredible historical, religious and cultural heritage.
Angoulême has long represented a major geostrategic point in the region, when it was an influential provincial capital – theAngoumois – under the Ancien Régime. An industrial, commercial and administrative city, with a university hub and an intense cultural life – who doesn’t know about the International Comics Festival and the Francophone Film Festival? – And with generous year-round sunshine, Angoulême is one of France’s best places to live.
Looking for a place to stay in Angoulême? As usual, we recommend you find accommodation in the city center, if possible. Here’s a mini-guide to where to stay in Angoulême.
City center
Photo credit: Flickr – fourthandfifteen
Perched on a rocky spur, Angoulême’s city center attracts many tourists thanks to its rich historical heritage. The area’s inhabitants are mainly young, well-to-do executives, with – as usual – most of the monuments to visit: the city walls – dating from the 9th and 13th centuries, historic monuments since 1958 – the Hôtel-de-Ville, the market, Saint-Pierre cathedral – a Romanesque building – the Angoulême museum, the Espace mémorial de la Résistance et de la Déportation, Saint-Martial church and the Société Archéologique et Historique de la Charente.
The town center has all the stores you’ll need for a place to stay in Angoulême, as well as plenty of bars to party in: art, games and culture stores, small cafés and trendy bars, organic produce stores, green spaces to stroll around, cultural buildings – cinemas and theaters -: there’s no doubt about it, this is a predominantly « bobo » neighborhood. Admittedly, « bourgeois-bohemian », but no less pleasant a place to sleep in Angoulême.
Find a hotel in the center of Angoulême
Find an Airbnb in the center of Angoulême
Vieil-Angoulême
Photo credit: Flickr – Nicolas Vigier
Le Vieil Angoulême is, as its name suggests, the old part of the town, located between the ramparts and the town center. Also located on the plateau, Vieil Angoulême is surrounded by the city’s former middle-class suburbs, which once made their living from trade and river activities on the Charente River.
Due to the high population density, accommodation in Vieil Angoulême can be quite expensive: good-quality apartments and bourgeois-style houses with exposed stonework, overlooking the Charente and close to the center, will fetch a high price.
Find a hotel in Vieil-Angoulême
Find an Airbnb in Vieil-Angoulême
Saint Cybard
Photo credit: Flickr – jean-louis Zimmermann
Located to the east of the banks of the Charente, Saint Cybard bears witness to its industrial and working-class past. It’s a working-class neighborhood that attracts young people and modest retirees. Near the banks of the river and Ile Marquet, you’ll find the Cité Internationale de la Bande Dessinée, a museum housing 8,077 comic strips, 58,000 albums and 120,020 periodicals.
It’s a quiet area to stay in Angoulême, but a little out of the way from the center and the SNCF train station.
Find a hotel in Saint Cybard
Find an Airbnb in Saint Cybard
Map of hotels and accommodation – Angoulême