Getting Here
Flights:
There are Ryanair flights to Angouleme and Limoges from Stanstead, Liverpool, East Midlands and Southampton. Angouleme airport is about 30 minutes drive and Limoges airport is approximately 45 minutes drive away.
BMI Baby fly from Manchester and East Midlands to Bordeaux. Bordeaux Airport is about 13/4 hours drive away. Various other major airlines also fly to Bordeaux.
Poitiers Airport is about 11/2 hours away and Bergerac Airport is a 2 hour drive.
Ferries:
St Malo is about 5-6 hours drive on the toll motorways. Le Havre is approximately 6- 6.5 hours drive.Caen is about 5.5 hour drive. Calais is an 8 hour drive
Rail:
There is a TGV station in Angouleme which is about 40 mins drive away. The train takes 21/2 hours from Paris.
Further Information on the area.
The Charente is one of four departments making up the region of Poitou-Charentes with Charente-Maritime, Deux-Sevres and Vienne. Each area has distinctive features but all have a generous share of river. The French traditionally consider the Charentais as somewhat laid back, and a bit zany! With its well preserved yet domesticated countryside and virtually every food product available fresh from the woods, fields, rivers and nearby ocean, the Charentais is generally quite happy with his peaceful lot.
The bustling and historic walled city of Angouleme is well worth a visit with its unmissable cathedral to Saint Pierre. After strolling around the ramparts, you can sit and enjoy one of the ‘Plat du Jours’ the many restaurants have on offer in the square or one of its winding mediaeval streets. Held in the third weekend in September is the spectacular Circuit des Ramparts, which is the only vintage car rally held inside a French town. Alternatively visit the Nautilus waterpark in Angouleme, an ideal place to "cool off" and have fun. Spend a day wandering around Cognac with it'sancient streets and mansions of the brandy merchants and take a tour around one of the major cognac producers such as Hennessy, Martell or Remy Martin. Here you will encounter cellars full of aging cognacs some over a century old, and taste some of the exceptional matured amber that is Cognac, described by Victor Hugo as “The Liquor of the gods”.
The Charente has one of the richest displays of Romanesque art with all variations represented, more than its fair share of stunning chateaux, activity lakes, not to mention its packed programme of top quality summer festivals and markets. Alternatively just take it easy and mosey around some of the traditional market towns and picturesque villages immersing yourself in French culture and taste some of the local food and wine along the way.
These are but a few of the activities on offer in the spectacular region of the Charente. Explore to your hearts content, and we hope to welcome you soon to both the Charente and La Tourterie.
Contact Details
For bookings or any other information at all please contact Alison and Rob at alison@grangesouris.com, or telephone +33 (0)7 52 94 37 48
