• the surrounding area

Places to Visit

Vineyards of South West France

This is a quiet agricultural area, mostly vineyards and sunflower fields, yet close to the sea. You will find the lanes around the village almost traffic free with few hills, and ideal for cycle rides. There are abundant opportunities for touring the local wine estates and sampling the wines, including Pineau des Charentes, a delicious apéritif from the area. The interesting towns of Saintes, La Rochelle and Cognac are close by, and the beautiful islands – Île d’Oléron and Île de Ré – make a good outing.

Saintes

Historic town of Saintes

Founded in the 1st century, Saintes is a city of art and history with an important architectural and religious heritage. The Gallo-Roman amphitheatre, the Germanicus Romanesque arch, the Abbaye-aux-Dames abbey and its magnificent church of Romanesque style, and the Saint-Pierre cathedral are examples of its rich past.  A wonderful architecture, narrow streets with interesting shops and street cafes.

La Rochelle

La Rochelle, capital of the Charente-Maritime

La Rochelle is a coastal city in southwestern France and capital of the Charente-Maritime department. It’s been a centre for fishing and trade since the 12th century, a maritime tradition that’s reflected in its Vieux Port (old harbour) and huge, modern Les Minimes marina. The old town has half-timbered medieval houses and Renaissance architecture, including passageways covered by 17th-century arches.

Cognac

Town of Cognac

The name cognac is synonymous the world over with the finest French spirit but the town of Cognac was an important trading port for salt and local wine long before the discovery of the double distillation process that produced the famous drink. Nestled on the banks of the picturesque river Charente, Cognac is a bustling town which today lives and breathes the world-famous brandy that carries its name.

Île d’Oléron and Île de Ré

Beautiful islands of Île d’Oléron and Île de Ré

There are four islands in the Charente-Maritime. Two of these islands, île de Ré and Île d’Oléron, are accessible from the mainland via a bridge. The Île de Ré has a toll bridge and is the island for the French where you leave all the hustle and bustle of your daily life behind. You experience the time on the island in a totally different way.

Bordeaux and St Emilion

Bordeaux, a port city on the Garonne River

Bordeaux, hub of the famed wine-growing region, is a port city on the Garonne River in southwestern France. It’s known for its Gothic Cathédrale Saint-André, 18th- to 19th-century mansions and notable art museums.

One of the most romantic and photogenic wine communities in all of France, the medieval Bordeaux town of St-Émilion is built on a plateau of limestone that forms the foundation

Atlantic Coast

Atlantic Beaches

Along the western coast of Aquitaine in south-west France there is an almost unbroken line of beaches facing the Atlantic Ocean. The main characteristics of these beaches are almost the same all along this coast: long, sandy, sunny and sometimes with quite large waves coming in from the ocean.