Haras national de Saintes, Former national stud farm in Saintes, France

The Haras national de Saintes is a former state stud farm whose buildings were designed by architect Victor Fontorbe: a vast central pavilion flanked by two symmetrical wings, stables and a director's residence, delivered from 1850 and completed in 1854. The complex sits in a nine-hectare walled park with winding horse alleys, a paddock, a riding arena, two concierge pavilions at the entrance, and an infirmary, forge and greenhouse along the entrance street.

The stud farm was designed by architect Victor Fontorbe as part of a nationwide network of regional breeding facilities established in France. This founding was an important step in institutionalizing systematic horse breeding across the country.

The site kept a collection of horse-drawn carriages and functioned as a keeper of traditional trades: grooms, farriers and saddlers worked there. It housed around forty stallions, including Poitou baudets and Poitevin mulassier draught horses. The buildings and park have been listed as monuments historiques since 1993.

The site closed in 2018 and was sold to a private buyer in 2019, so it is not open as a stud farm; the buildings and the nine-hectare park are listed as monuments historiques since 1993. The entrance is framed by two concierge pavilions, with the infirmary, staff housing and forge along the entrance street. The walled park, damaged by Hurricane Martin in 1999, keeps century-old cedars and plane trees.

The stud farm kept a collection of horse-drawn carriages and functioned as a keeper of traditional trades such as grooms, farriers and saddlers. Its nine-hectare park, damaged by Hurricane Martin in 1999, still holds century-old cedars and plane trees.