The best running trails in Charente

The architecture of this church is modeled on the Greek temples popular in the early 19th century. This neoclassical architecture is the work of Paul Abadie Père. https://www.angouleme-tourisme.com/patrimoine-culturel/eglise-saint-jacques-de-lhoumeau/

In 1982, the Ministry of Culture, under the leadership of Jack Lang, launched the "Walls in France" operation, which consisted of having 13 painted walls created in 13 cities in France by 13 different artists. In Angoulême, it was the Icelandic artist Erró who created a huge mural representing a multitude of comic book characters (Batman, Tarzan, Tintin, etc.). Abandoned for years, the mural was renovated in 2013. It is now considered the first painted wall in Angoulême. It was during the 90s that the production of painted walls accelerated, driven by a municipal policy called the "painted walls program". The aim was to show that Angoulême is indeed the "international capital of the ninth art" (comics). In 2021, we can admire 27 painted walls, as well as the whole that covers the building of the departmental archives of Charente. In 2001, it was the designer Nicolas de Crécy who proposed "New York on Charente".

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.

Church in the Houmeau district, it has been listed as a Historic Monument since 2001. Built from 1840 to 1843 in a neoclassical style by Paul Abadie, it replaced an old church located on the road to Compostela from Montignac. Built in local limestone, it dominates the square bearing the same name and the many shops around it.

Wooden ferry from Lichères, which allows you to cross the Charente. A cable stretched across both banks allows hikers to cross the waters independently. Please note, the ferry may be immobilized during the harshest winter months. You will then have to return to the bridge, a little further south.

The hunebed stands on a ledge halfway up the hill. The tumulus which covered it has disappeared. This dolmen is of an imposing and unusual height in the region. The deck table rests alone on three perfectly square pillars 2.20 m high. Several orthostats show traces of wear or write-off attempts by stonemasons [ 2 ] . All orthostats are of shell limestone [ 3 ] . The table, in sandstone , measures 5.40 meters long and 4.40 meters wide for a maximum thickness of 0.90  m, it weighs about 40 tons. The room opens to the southeast, the presumed entrance corridor that originally existed has completely disappeared [ 2 ] . The plan of the burial chamber seems to have been dictated by the shape of the deck table, making it a totally atypical dolmen [ 4 ] . The dolmen has been emptied a long time ago as it has been listed as such since 1826

problem is, this is not in use or available until at least april, so you can't cross the river here in the winter months

Imposing in this small village, the abbey is easy to find. Built in the 11th century, this abbey was not finally completed until 1170 by Eleanor of Aquitaine. If you are interested in Roman architecture, visit the local museum to learn about the origins of this abbey.