Saintes is a French commune and historic town, a subprefecture in the Charente-Maritime department in southwestern France. It is in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region. It is also the capital of the arrondissement of Saintes.
Before the French Revolution, Saintes was the capital of the old province of Saintonge.
Geography
Saintes is in the central eastern part of the Charente-Maritime department, in the old province of Saintonge, along the Charente river that flows through the commune from south to north.
The commune has an area of , and its average altitude is ; at the city hall, the altitude is .
The distances from Saintes to other cities are: Paris, the national capital - ; Bordeaux, the regional capital - ; Toulouse - ; Reims - ; Lyon - ; Montpellier - ; Strasbourg - ; Nantes - ; Marseille - .
The commune of Saintes is surrounded by the communes:
Climate
The climate of Saintes, in the Köppen climate classification, is Cfb - Oceanic climate with template summers.
Population
The inhabitants of this city are known, in French, as Saintais (women: Saintaises).
With a population of 25,149, Saintes has a population density of inhabitants/km2.
Evolution of the population in Saintes
Administration
Saintes is a subprefecture of the Charente-Maritime department, the capital of the arrondissement of Saintes and the administrative centre () of the canton of Saintes.
It is part of the intercommunality CA Saintes ().
Twinned and partner towns
Saintes is twinned with: Nivelles, Belgium Xanten, Germany Timbuktu, Mali Vladimir, Russia Salisbury, England Cuevas del Almanzora, Spain