Angoulême – Cathedral, Comic Murals and Paper Museum

Angoulême showcases its cultural history at prominent sites: Saint-Pierre Cathedral is classified as a historic monument; the classification was made through the 1840 list.

When choosing a holiday apartment in Angoulême, culture, comics, paper history and events can be weighed as different focal points. The choice can be guided by the desired combination: in Angoulême, the Cathedral, Murs BD, Paper Museum and Circuit des Remparts can be viewed as four different anchors for cultural history, comics, paper and events. For shorter stays, making a deliberate selection is helpful; with more time, the topics can be explored separately without combining them into a single programme. The balance between museums, the public comic trail and the events programme can also vary. Travel dates, apartment size and cancellation conditions remain personal comparison points when choosing a holiday apartment.

Culture

The archaeological and paleontological collections of the Musée d’Angoulême cover the local geological history, dinosaur sites, and the prehistoric and historic cultures of the Charente region – from Neanderthals to medieval burials.

The Cité internationale de la bande dessinée et de l’image includes the Musée de la bande dessinée, the Maison des auteurs, a cinema, a bookshop, a comic library, a heritage library, a documentation and research centre, and a cultural and educational programme. It preserves important stages in the creation of comics, from the original page to the album and from the sketch to the finished object.

Paper

The Musée du Papier is located in the former Lacroix and Joseph-Bardou “Le Nil” paper mills. Its buildings were constructed over the Charente and form a bridge as far as Île de Saint-Cybard.

The “Charente Confluences, from the river to the industries, from paper to the image” interpretation centre at the Musée du Papier focuses on Angoulême’s significant industrial heritage, which is connected with paper and related industries.

The museum preserves paper-related materials such as paper samples, packaging, cigarette paper and advertising posters.

Comics

The Murs BD route includes 30 comic murals and offers a guided tour through the tourist office, as well as a self-guided exploration via an app.

The three prominent buildings of the Cité internationale de la bande dessinée et de l’image are located on or overlook a river.

Events

The Circuit des Remparts programme includes an elegance competition, a Concours d’état, an international tourist rally on the roads of the Charente, exhibitions and a race in the city centre, whose route has remained unchanged since 1939.

The Circuit des Remparts was first held in July 1939, returned to the roads of the Charente in 1978 and has taken place there ever since.

Nearby area

The Artothèque d'Angoulème, a museum, is located near Angoulême. Also nearby are the Hôtel Mousnier-Longpré, a historic site, the Abbaye Saint-Cybard, a historic site, and Notre-Dame des Bezines, a historic site.

Other places

Other places in the same area: Genac, Saint-Germain-de-Montbron, Angeac-Champagne, Pleuville, Dignac, Challignac, Maine-de-Boixe and Boutiers-Saint-Trojan.

To the higher-level travel overview: Charente.