Come Discover the Charente Department

Located in the southwest of France

From a small and picturesque Charentais village,

Marie-Anne and Bertrand are eager to help you discover.

The history, heritage and gastronomy of their region,

A special moment.

Watercolors by Marie-Anne Chaygneaud Dupuy

The Charente, an endearing region

For its heritage

The Churches

The Romanesque style flourished in the Charente, and each church has its own charm, its own character

The châteaux,

The Logis (a Charentais word for Manor, or a nobleman’s home), the gentlemen’s farms, and the villages filled with beautiful homes have been here for centuries and are a permanent part of the landscape.

There are over 60 chateaux to visit in the Charente !

For its customs and ancient crafts

The Mills

Whether for crushing oats, or making oil, or cutting stone or making paper, some of the mills’ wheels still sing along the rivers

There are about 20 mills to visit and several are still producing

.

The pigeon coops and wells

There is a variety of pigeon houses and wells in the area, the former often near a château. The wells are close to farms and churches.

After the old stones;

Nature and history…

The Walks

Whether on foot, by horse, or on a bicycle, follow the rolling countryside and come discover a multitude of small roads leading to charming sites and villages lost in time.

A sail alongside the river, why not !

Aboard a gabare or peniche (names given to river boats used long ago by merchants to transport freight), glide along the river. Let us propose several itineraries for you to consider which will lead you up to the Charente River ’s mouth.

For the more athletic, perhaps a canoe ride on the Tardoire River  !

The Passion of our Ancestors

To discover the history of our region, you can visit a variety of museums ; there are the traditional ones in Angouleme , and then more atypical ones in the villages. They include, for example, the Old Pedalling Cars museum ; bonnets of long ago ; a doll museum ; the Riverworks Transportation museum ; or the butterfly museum, to mention a few.

The Craftspeople

Come discover the craftsmanship, and artists as well, and visit different workshops : a porcelain workshop, a knife maker , a barrel maker, a potter, a beer brewery.

Another favorite is the very comfortable slipper so typical to the region, called the charentaises !

Possible Day Trips for your enjoyment

A fter a good breakfast

depart for a picturesque route along the Charente River .

Stop at several small villages. Walk along tiny streets.

Before lunch, visit the Museum of Old Pedal Cars , very original and complete, and then dine along the banks of the river.

In the afternoon start off with a visit to the Museum of   Riverworks and Transportation, then a sail along the Charente in a gabare .

As an end-of-afternoon activity a tour to the magnificent Abbey of Bassac

A nother Day,

We leave to discover Romanesque churches.

Nearly all the churches are open daily and they are always set in beautiful settings. Then visit a local winery and see how Cognac and Pineau , a local drink, are made ; and of course the tasting afterwards !

Have lunch at a local inn

In the afternoon visit a Château and its closest village. And why not have dinner at the Chateau ?

A s you see fit, we will be there to suggest a variety of customized tours. Tours are designed specifically for you. Away from the crowds and traditional tourism. In the end if you wish only to rest and enjoy the quiet Charentais moment, indulge !

Gastronomy

The Charente is a region rich in gastronomic specialties

Foie gras : a local delicacy, there are several producers in the region who have caught our attention and we will guide you to one of them. And for those who cook, a class could be suggested to learn the secrets of excellent fois gras making !

Breeding Farms  : In the region cows and goats are bred for cheese making ; deer, ostriches and calves are bred for meat production. Come visit one of these eleveurs and see how the process is done

Chocolats, Visit a factory and sample the richness of homemade chocolates. Then of course buy a box to take home !

Pineau and Cognac Several houses of Cognac, from the small to the internationally known, allow us access to their production facilities and give tours explaining the complicated distillation process

We can suggest several types of dining options :

Gastronomic restaurant, a local inn, a dinner at a host’s table, or a picnic

After dining

Your sleeping accomodations

We have selected for you a selection of lodging options

Individual rooms or entire houses where all meals are served in period settings:

Individual homes in a village, or in the countryside, And, if you prefer, a more urban hotel just let us know !

A bientôt

B etween Aquitaine and Poitou, at the border of the Angoumois region, Perigord , and Saintonge ,

the South Charente is in a strategic position to see everything

Living is good and calm, it’s easy !

Marie-Anne and Bertrand look forward to helping you plan your holiday getaway and show you these marvels

The Charente is an hour’s drive from the Bordeaux Airport

And a two hour 30 minutes TGV ride from Paris

For more information contact :

marie-anne.dantec@wanadoo.fr

+33 (0)5 45 62 29 85