Things to do in Angoulême
Twenty ideas for making the most of the capital of comics: Romanesque heritage, giant murals, the Charente riverside and great food. Most are free and walkable from the upper town.
The 20 best things to do
Angoulême is a walking city: the walled upper town packs most of the sights into less than two kilometres. Here is our pick, from the unmissable to the unexpected.
See the façade of Saint-Pierre cathedral
A 12th-century Romanesque 'book in stone': some 70 carved figures tell the story of the Ascension and the Last Judgement.
Learn more →Walk the ramparts
A 2.5 km walk high above the Charente valley, with the best sunsets in town.
Learn more →Follow the painted-walls trail
Around twenty giant comic-strip murals hidden around the streets: the open-air gallery of the comics capital.
Learn more →Visit the comics museum
The comics museum in former wine storehouses by the river, and the Vaisseau Mœbius across the footbridge.
Learn more →Wander the upper town
Medieval lanes, mansions and café-lined squares: the plateau is best explored on foot, without a map.
Learn more →See the town hall and its towers
Built on the site of the counts' castle, it keeps the polygonal tower and the Valois tower where Marguerite d'Angoulême was born.
Learn more →Explore the Musée d'Angoulême
Archaeology, fine arts and a remarkable collection of African and Oceanic art, steps from the cathedral.
Learn more →Learn about paper-making at Le Nil
The paper museum fills a former paper mill by the river: Angoulême was once a cigarette-paper capital.
Learn more →Shop at Les Halles market
The covered market in the upper town: the place to taste cheese, snails, Charentais melons and pineau.
Learn more →Taste galette charentaise and cagouilles
Butter biscuits, snails 'à la charentaise' and AOP Charentes-Poitou butter: the local table is generous.
Learn more →Head down to the Charente river
Landscaped banks, canoeing, traditional gabarre boats and summer riverside cafés, ten minutes from the centre.
Learn more →Cycle the Flow Vélo
The cycle route from Thiviers to the Île d'Aix follows the Charente through Angoulême: perfect for half a day.
Learn more →Picnic in the Jardin Vert
The big public garden clinging below the ramparts, with a bandstand, ponds and valley views.
Learn more →Step inside Saint-André church
A Romanesque church in the shopping streets, plus Saint-Martial, Paul Abadie's neo-Romanesque masterpiece.
Learn more →Discover L'Alpha
The award-winning 'landscape' media library in L'Houmeau, with a large comics collection and free exhibitions.
Learn more →Catch a show at the Théâtre d'Angoulême
A national stage from September to June and gigs at La Nef: cultural life goes well beyond comics.
Learn more →Time your trip with a festival
FIBD in early 2027, Musiques Métisses in spring, the Francophone Film Festival in late August, Circuit des Remparts in September.
Learn more →Visit a cognac house
Cognac is 45 minutes away: cellars, tastings and a riverside stroll, plus the local pineau des Charentes.
Learn more →Day-trip to Aubeterre or Saintes
The hilltop village of Aubeterre-sur-Dronne and its monolithic church, Romanesque Saintonge, La Rochelle 1 h 30 away.
Learn more →Keep the kids happy
Mural treasure hunts, comics workshops and the riverside: Angoulême is a very family-friendly city.
Learn more →Visiting Angoulême: your questions
How many days do you need in Angoulême?
One day covers the highlights (cathedral, ramparts, painted walls, comics museum). Allow a weekend to enjoy the riverside, museums and food, and three days with a trip to Cognac. See our itineraries.
What can you do for free in Angoulême?
The ramparts walk, the painted-walls trail, the cathedral, the Jardin Vert, the riverside, L'Alpha media library and the Vaisseau Mœbius exhibitions are all free. The comics museum is free for under-18s.
When is the best time to visit Angoulême?
May to September for good weather, café terraces and the riverside; late August for the Francophone Film Festival, mid-September for the Circuit des Remparts, and early in the year for the Comics Festival (returning in Q1 2027). Book early during festivals.
What to do in Angoulême when it rains?
Head for the comics museum and the Vaisseau Mœbius, the Musée d'Angoulême, the paper museum, L'Alpha, Les Halles and a film at the Cité cinema. The upper-town cafés do the rest.