Explore

eXPLORE

SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE TO ENJOY

Roman ruins, fresh produce markets, the Atlantic coast and the city of Cognac are all within a 15-minute to an hour's drive from us. 


Below are just a few ideas for fabulous day-trips.

explore our region

Saint Jean d'Angély (15km, 15 min by car)

Saint Jean d’Angély is home to a UNESCO heritage site, the Royal Abbey, originally built in the 9th century to house the skull of St. John the Baptist.


An indoor/outdoor farmer’s market is held every Wednesday and Saturday. The Bernouet lakeside park offers canoes and kayaks for rent during the summer and has a small skatepark and playground.

Saintes (35km, 30 min by car)

Saintes is the second largest city in Charente-Maritime and prominently features Roman ruins, including an amphitheater built in 40-50 AD.


One of our favorite areas is the public garden bordering the river with a café, playground, skatepark and bird enclosure.  There is also a pedestrian shopping area with boutiques and larger stores such as Galeries Lafayette. 

Cognac (25km, 30 min by car)

Spend a day touring and tasting at Cognac’s most famous distilleries, or wander the more modern district with its beautiful public garden.


The Fête du Cognac, a three-day festival dedicated to food, wine and cognac, takes place in July, as does the Cognac Blues Passions festival, a week-long series of concerts featuring blues, jazz, soul, pop and rock singers from around the world.


Rochefort (55km, 50 min by car)

Rochefort’s attractions include the National Marine Museum, the Naval Aviation Museum and the Hermione, a replica of the frigate that carried General Lafayette to fight in the American Revolution in 1779. 


Royan (65km, 60 min by car)

Royan is situated on the mouth of Europe's largest estuary, known for its oysters.  Many Belle Epoque villas from the 1800s remain intact despite heavy bombing during WWI, lining the beautiful promenade along the main beach, La Grande Conche.


La Rochelle (85km, 70 min by car)

La Rochelle is the capital of the Charente-Maritime.  Known as the "White City" for its beautiful limestone buildings, it also showcases medieval and Renaissance architecture.  Popular attractions include the Aquarium, National Maritime Museum, and the Vieux Port. 


Angoulême (60km, 1hr by car)

Located on a plateau and surrounded by Roman ramparts, Angoulême is known as the comic book capital of France and hosts and International Comic Book Festival each year. Fans of classic cars can participate in or spectate the annual ‘Circuit des Remparts’, a weekend of classic and vintage car races and concours competitions.


La Flow Vélo

The Flow Vélo is a signposted, 290km cycle route traversing the Charente and Charente-Maritime regions, ending at the Atlantic Coast.  There are several suggested itineraries, with the villages of Saintes, Cognac, and Saint-Savinien nearby us.


La Côte Sauvage

The Côte Sauvage is a 20km stretch of beaches bordered by sand dunes and pine forests approximately 1 hour’s drive from us.  Most of the beaches are secluded and without lifeguards, so are not recommended for swimming, but offer open expanses of beaches, usually sparsely populated.  The Zoo de Palmyre and the Lighthouse of La Coubre are just to the south of the Côte.


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