His captains were soon informed of his flight; they left their half-cooked viands, as did all the army, who were still fasting, and the confusion of departure exceeded belief; all hurried towards Blaye, where they sought refuge, exhausted and worn, and but for a few berries which they gathered to satisfy the cravings of their hunger, they had nearly all perished on the way.
The following day the citizens and clergy of Saintes, in solemn procession, repaired to the camp of St.Louis, bringing with them the keys of the town, and swearing oaths of fealty.

The King of France entered in triumph, occupied all the evacuated posts, and placed a garrison in the old citadel of the capital.

His next care was to subdue all the lords of the neighbouring castles, which, having done, he commenced building a new line of walls to replace the dilapidated Anglo-Roman line, which was falling in ruins.

After this, says the chronicler, St.Louis returned to his dominion of France, leaving garrisons in all the strong places of Saintonge and Aunis.
The ruins of the castle of Taillebourg serve, like most fortresses in France now-a-days, as promenades to the town to which they belong; all along the top of the massive walls, which extend to some distance, is a line of open balustrades, which has, from the river, a very ornamental and somewhat Italian effect.

Spreading trees rise above this, which appear to form part of a plantation within, and placed, as the castle is, on a very great elevation, at a turn of the river, which it must have commanded, it has a peculiarly imposing and picturesque effect.