Angoulême
The hilltop city that became the world capital of comics — between Romanesque ramparts, painted murals and the Charentais art of living.
Discover Angoulême
Seven gateways into a human-scale city with an outsized heritage.
Capital of Comics
Why the ninth art planted its flag on the Charente plateau — and never took it down.
Read →Romanesque heritage
Saint-Pierre cathedral's carved façade, the ramparts and the medieval upper town.
Explore →Circuit des Remparts
Every September, vintage cars roar around the old town's ramparts.
Discover →Gastronomy
Charentais galette, snails, AOP butter, and Cognac & Pineau next door.
Taste →Getting here & around
Paris–Angoulême TGV in 2 h, the A10, Möbius buses: every route leads to the plateau.
Plan →Itineraries
24 hours, a weekend, or with kids: ready-made routes so you miss nothing.
Follow →A city drawn in ink
Since 1974, Angoulême and comics have been inseparable. The International Comics Festival turned a provincial prefecture into a global gathering of artists, publishers and readers.
Year-round, the Cité internationale de la bande dessinée et de l'image, the Magelis cluster and around two dozen painted walls keep the spirit alive. Comics breathe from every street corner.
Note: the 2026 edition of the Festival was suspended following a governance dispute. The city held a free event, “Le Grand Off,” while a renewed festival has been announced for 2027.
The landmarks
Tap a marker to locate the major sights on the plateau and along the Charente.
The calendar of highlights
A dense cultural season, from winter's comics festival to late-summer francophone cinema.
Comics Festival
Europe's flagship comics gathering takes over the entire city.
Musiques Métisses
A world-music festival, a pioneer of African scenes in France.
Circuit des Remparts
A vintage-car race on a legendary urban circuit running since 1939.
Francophone Film Festival
Premieres and stars of francophone cinema at summer's end.
At the table
A generous regional cuisine, between the Cognac vineyards, marshes and market gardens.
Explore everything
Over 45 bilingual themed pages covering everything about Angoulême and its region.
Discover
Comics & image
- Capital of comics08
- Comics Festival (FIBD)09
- Comics museum (CIBDI)10
- Painted walls11
- Magelis & image hub12
Heritage
Culture & events
- Circuit des Remparts21
- Francophone Film Festival22
- Music festivals23
- Events calendar24
- Theatres & stages25
- L'Alpha media library26