The Amphitheatre of Saintes – Cathedral of Saintes loop from Saintes
The Amphitheatre of Saintes – Cathedral of Saintes loop from Saintes
65
hikers
The Amphitheatre of Saintes – Cathedral of Saintes loop from Saintes
01:27
5.42km
60m
Hiking
Easy hike. Great for any fitness level. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels. The starting point of the route is right next to a parking lot.
Last updated: June 17, 2026
Waypoints
Start point
Parking
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434 m
Archaeological museum
Highlight • Other
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811 m
Saint-Pierre Cathedral (Saintes)
Highlight • Religious Site
Together with Paul, Peter is also known as the "princes of the apostles", their common feast day in the saints' calendar is on June 29th.
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1.87 km
Gallo-Roman Amphitheater of Saintes
Highlight • Historical Site
Today, despite the disappearance of its superstructure, the remains give a very good idea of what this amphitheater looked like in its heyday. The site is now open to visitors all year round.
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2.12 km
The Amphitheatre of Saintes
Highlight • Historical Site
At the time of Augustus (27 BC – 14 AD), the city probably became the capital of the province of Greater Aquitaine (Aquitania). This then extended from the Loire to the Pyrenees. Mediolanum is endowed with important public monuments: the amphitheater, the arch of Germanicus, the thermal baths and the aqueduct are still partially visible today. At the time of its peak (end of the 1st century – beginning of the 2nd century), the city must have had several thousand inhabitants.
The amphitheater of Mediolanum is one of the earliest in Gaul. It is estimated that its construction began during the reign of Tiberius (14 – 37 AD), and was completed during the reign of Claudius (41 – 54 AD). Like many amphitheaters of the Roman Empire, that of Saintes was located on the outskirts of the ancient city in a chosen and developed site: the “vallon des Arènes”. Thanks to a favorable topography, the builders were relieved of part of their work, the amphitheater resting on the slope of the valley. This elliptical monument, with imposing dimensions (126 meters long and 102 meters wide), made it possible to accommodate several thousand spectators around bloody and violent representations such as gladiator fights (munera) or animal hunts (venationes ).
In the 3rd century, the city declined and was entrenched within an impressive rampart, built from the remains of public and funerary monuments from previous decades. The amphitheater is then no longer used. Since the Middle Ages, it has been used, among other things, as a stone quarry. It was classified as a Historic Monument in 1840. It was from this moment that it was gradually restored.
Today, despite the disappearance of the superstructures, the remains provide a faithful image of what this monument could have been at the time of its splendor.
The site welcomes visitors all year round. Certain objects found during various excavations in the amphitheater district are visible at the archaeological museum.
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Tip by
3.58 km
Thermes romains de Saint-Saloine
Archaeological Site
4.88 km
Cathedral of Saintes
Highlight • Religious Site
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Tip by
5.07 km
Saintes Public Garden
Highlight • Natural
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Tip by
5.42 km
End point
Parking
Way Types & Surfaces
Way Types
2.15 km
1.38 km
1.34 km
294 m
212 m
Surfaces
2.37 km
2.17 km
590 m
112 m
< 100 m
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Elevation
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Weather
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Wednesday 8 July
39°C
18°C
0 %
Additional weather tips
Max wind speed: 13.0 km/h
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Our route recommendations are based on thousands of hikes, rides, and runs completed by other people on komoot.
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