There are plenty of distilleries if you wish to taste the famous regional brandies – Cognac and Pineau. The Charente region is known for being one of the sunniest in France, after the south!
Departure base: Cognac
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5 good reasons to visit1. Fishermen’s paradise |
Map of Charente
Tourist attractions
• Pineau and Cognac cellars
• Trois palis: the Letuffe chocolate factory
• Saintes: the Roman arch of Germanicus, the Gallo-Roman amphitheater, the Roman baths, the rampart, the St Eutrope church, the Saint Pierre gothic cathedral, the archeological museum, the Echevinage museum.
• Bourg-Charente and its dugout
• The mill of Fleurac
• Envaux: the Panloy castle, the old port, the Crazannes castle and the Lapidiales, 500m from the village.
• Jarnac: Francois Mitterrand Museum
• Angoulême: capital of comic strip, remparts, paper museum, cathedral
• Cognac: the art museum of Cognac
• St Savinien: The village of Anne Pont which offers the opportunity to visit its church named Saint
Events
• The ‘Fete du Cognac’ (end of July)
• The French Film Festival in Angoulême (end of August)
• Tuesdays in Cognac (June-September: food tastings, walks, workshops, tours etc.)
• Circuit on the Angouleme ramparts (mid-September, vintage car race around the walls and exhibition of historical vehicles)
• ‘Coup de Chauffe’ Festival in Cognac (street performances, the first weekend in September)
Suggestions for cruises from Cognac
Week-end
Cognac – Saintes – Cognac : 69 km, 4 locks, 10 hours
Mini Week
Cognac – St Savinien – Cognac : 112 km, 4 locks, 20 hours
One Week
Cognac – Angoulême – Cognac : 118 km. 36 locks, 28 hours
Two Weeks
Cognac – Angoulême – Cognac – St Savinien – Cognac : 230 km, 40 locks, 48 hours