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Angoulême

Angoulême is a commune and prefecture of the Charente department in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region of southwestern France. It lies on the Charente river, about 100 kilometers northeast of Bordeaux. As the administrative center of Charente, it combines a historic core with a modern cultural footprint.

The city's history goes back to Roman times, and in the Middle Ages Angoulême was the capital

Culturally, Angoulême is best known internationally for the Angoulême International Comics Festival, held yearly in January

In recent years the city has expanded its cultural infrastructure with the Cité internationale de la bande

of
Angoumois.
The
old
town
preserves
a
compact,
walkable
heritage
of
medieval
and
Renaissance
architecture,
including
the
Saint-Pierre
Cathedral
(Cathédrale
Saint-Pierre
d'Angoulême),
a
Romanesque-Gothic
work.
The
riverfront
and
ramparts
offer
views
over
the
Charente
valley.
since
1974.
One
of
the
world’s
leading
events
for
the
comics
arts,
it
draws
publishers,
artists,
and
fans
and
presents
prizes
such
as
the
Fauve
d’Or
for
the
best
album.
dessinée
et
de
l'image,
a
major
center
dedicated
to
comics
and
image
arts.
Angoulême
also
offers
museums,
markets,
and
a
compact
historic
center
that
makes
the
city
a
popular
site
for
visitors
exploring
Charente
culture
and
the
southwest
of
France.