Saintes , is a
commune and historic town in southwestern
France, in the
Charente-Maritime department of which it is a
sub-prefecture, in
Poitou-Charente. Its inhabitants are called
Saintaises and
Saintais. Saintes is the second largest city in Charente-Maritime, with inhabitants in 2008. Its immediate surrounds form the second most populous metropolitan area in the department, with inhabitants, the majority of which is fertile, productive fields; a significant minority for the region remains forest, its natural state.