Cathedral of Saintes – Crazannes Castle loop from Geay

Bike touring routes & trails

Cathedral of Saintes – Crazannes Castle loop from Geay

Hard

4.3

(22)

145

riders

Cathedral of Saintes – Crazannes Castle loop from Geay

04:57

80.4km

370m

Cycling

Hard bike ride. Good fitness required. You may need to push your bike for some segments of this route. The starting point of the route is accessible with public transport.

Last updated: September 3, 2026

Waypoints

Start point

Bus stop

Get Directions

3.24 km

Bois du Fief des Groies

Forest

18.7 km

View of the Arch of Germanicus and the Charente River

Highlight • Viewpoint

🏛️ Construction: 18-19 AD

The arch was built around 18-19 AD, during the reign of Emperor Tiberius. It stood at the entrance to the Roman bridge crossing the Charente, at the outlet of the Via Agrippa, which connected Lyon to Saintes.

It is therefore not truly a "triumphal arch": it was both a road monument and a monumental gate marking the entrance to Mediolanum Santonum, the capital of Roman Aquitaine.

👤 Who had it built?

The arch was financed by Caius Julius Rufus, a Romanized notable from Saintonge. He dedicated it to Tiberius as well as his nephew Germanicus. The inscriptions engraved on the entablature still allow us today to know the figures to whom it was dedicated.

The name "Arch of Germanicus" therefore comes from this dedication, and not from the fact that Germanicus personally had the arch built or crossed it.

🏗️ A rather exceptional monument

The arch has two bays, likely allowing for the differentiation of traffic flows. It measures approximately 15 m high by 16 m wide. Its Corinthian and composite capitals bear witness to particularly meticulous Roman architecture.

It constituted a true demonstration of the power and Romanization of Saintes.

⚠️ The moment the arch almost disappeared

This is probably the most interesting episode in its history.

For centuries, the arch was always located at the level of the Roman bridge and then the medieval bridge, on the right bank of the Charente.

In the 19th century, the old bridge had become dilapidated. When it was decided to demolish it, around 1843, the arch was also threatened with destruction.

It was then that Prosper Mérimée, Inspector General of Historical Monuments, intervened. He advocated for its preservation and arranged for its dismantling, relocation, and reassembly on the new bank.

Another figure is also associated with this preservation: Victor Hugo, who stayed in Saintes in September 1843 and intervened in favor of the monument's conservation with Mérimée.

📍 Why is the arch no longer exactly in its ancient location?

The arch we see today, on Place Bassompierre, is therefore no longer in its original location.

It was moved a few dozen meters during the transformation of the quays and the disappearance of the old bridge. It was dismantled stone by stone and then reassembled in order to preserve it.

It is now located in the immediate vicinity of the ancient Roman bridge crossing.

🏛️ Protection

The Arch of Germanicus was finally classified as a historical monument in July 1905.

An interesting detail

The Crazannes quarries, located near Saintes, supplied a limestone widely used in the region's ancient constructions. Crazannes stone was notably used for monuments such as the Arch of Germanicus.

In summary:

18-19 → construction of the arch at the entrance to the Roman bridge
↓
Antiquity → Middle Ages → the arch remains associated with the crossing of the Charente
↓
1843 → demolition of the old bridge and threat to the arch
↓
1843-1844 → Mérimée's intervention and relocation of the arch
↓
1905 → classified as a Historical Monument

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18.8 km

Cathedral of Saintes

Highlight • Religious Site

Saintes is a city that shines with its millennial heritage and its Gallo-Roman monuments. As unusual as they are well preserved, these nuggets will take you on a real journey through time.

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34.7 km

From tar to trail - the very definition of Gravel

Highlight • Trail

34.9 km

Crazannes Castle

Highlight • Castle

Built in the 14th century, the Château de Crazannes is listed as a Historic Monument. It belonged to the Comte de Caravaz, Jules Gouffier, who inspired Perrault for the creation of the master of Puss in Boots, the Marquis de Carabas. A rereading of the tale is essential before visiting the castle and its magnificent garden!

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40.2 km

Bois Brossard

Forest

51.1 km

Cycle Path along the Freussin Canal

Highlight (Segment) • Cycleway

A fairly quiet cycle path along the canal du Freussin à la Charente. This section is part of the V92 cycle route: La Flow Vélo.

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55.8 km

Old railway bridge over the Charente

Highlight • Bridge

old railway bridge with a view of the Charente see the impressive current during the rising tides

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60.9 km

Capuchin Castle

Highlight • Other

The Capuchin Castle in Tonnay-Charente, built on a former convent founded in the 17th century by the Rochechouart-Mortemart family, served as a convent, a temporary town hall during the Revolution, and was then sold as national property. It has had several lives, including as property of the Red Cross, and today houses a medical-professional institute. Its current architecture dates from the late 19th century, with a rectangular plan flanked by towers, and it is only visible from the outside.

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