The beautifully sunny region of Poitou-Charentes is conveniently located in South West France making it easily accessible.
Its Atlantic coastline has fine sandy beaches, pretty marinas and bustling resorts and the famous Fort Boyard. Close to the beautiful port of La Rochelle are the beautiful islands of Ile D'Oléron and Ile de Ré whose main industry is oyster catching. A little further south is the seaside resort of Royan with five well-kept beaches.
Heading inland is the Marais Poitevin (a marshy area known as the "Green Venice") which can be explored by kayak or rowing boat & offers some great restaurants. The renowned town of Cognac is a great place to visit to stroll around its pedestrian streets and of course visit a choice of Cognac distilleries and to sample the brandy. Just outside the historic city of Poitiers is the Futuroscope theme park where education & thrill rides come together.
The region boasts many picturesque villages with Romanesque architecture such as Verteuil Sur Charente, Nanteuil en Vallée and Aubeterre Sur Drone and is renowned for its vast fields of bright sunflowers in the summer months. Much of the area remains unspoiled with agriculture occupying much of the gently rolling countryside. Vineyards and dairies also form a large part of the economy.
The region also has something to offer for the gastronomes amongst you with several regional products, such as the world famous Cognac, local apératif 'Pineau des Charentes', fresh goats' cheeses, 'Farci du Poitou', local wines & specialty breads.
Charente is situated in west-central France, to the north-west of the Dordogne department. It is named after the river on whose banks many of its towns have grown up, including the departmental capital Angoulême. A working river in the past, it is now widely used for river cruising and outdoor activities.
Situated north of Charente, the Vienne is a department in central-western France. It is home to some stunning Romanesque architecture, much of which can be found in the departmental capital, Poitiers, which provides excellent transport links around Vienne.
North of Charente and west of Vienne, is the region of the Deux Sèvres. The main characteristic of the Deux Sevres is the very mild climate of the area, similar to that of Aquitaine.