Cathédrale Saint-Pierre We discovered Saintes after driving around the coastlines in the Aquitaine-Poitou regions. We had seen the citadelles and the beaches, and decided to go inland a bit for a Gallo-Roman amphitheater. Turns out, the amphitheater was closed for lunch. What we could see from the surrounding rim was mostly covered in scaffolding for maintenance. If you like it now, you'll love it in another millennium or so. No matter, because for a small town, Saintes overflows with great architecture and outdoor spaces. One of the best is the Basilique Sainte-Eutrope and its crypt. The Basilique was constructed over the 11th and 15th centuries and holds the remains of the early christian evangelist and martyr Eutrope and his notable convert, Eustelle, daughter of a Roman governor. According to tradition, for this breach of decorum, Eustelle's father had her decapitated, whereas the future saint's head was split open with an axe. Sugar explores grounds of Basilique Saint...
