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Poitou-Charentes, France

Make the most of your time in Poitou-Charentes, use the information provided on this web site by clicking on the links to plan your visit.

Poitou-Charentes is full of variety, history and holiday opportunities and features a range of landscapes and activities. It is home to beautiful villages, long coastal beaches, islands and traditional architecture and so offers something for everyone. The region is located in the mid-west of France and is home to its administrative capital Poitiers and economic rival and sea port La Rochelle.

The division comes 12th in the list of French departments in terms of geographical area, while, with 1.75 million inhabitants, it is 15th on the population list. The residents of Poitou-Charentes are known as Picto-Charentais and are split into four further sub-divisions. While French is inevitably the main language spoken among these people, some pockets also use Poitevin, Limousin and Saintongeais in addition.

Poitou-Charentes has an extensive 450 kilometres of coastline, a figure which is swelled by the presence of a number of islands off the west coast. The largest of the islands are the Oleron and Re, while on the mainland the coast runs through the likes of La Rochelle, Rochefort and Royan. This adds further to the region’s reputation as one of a rural and maritime nature and means it is ideal for family holidays in particular. It is also possible to take a boat trip around the islands or simply to relax in the sun on the beach.

While the Atlantic Ocean is to the west, there is land in each of the other surrounding directions. To the north is the Western Loire, to the south is Aquitaine, to the east is Limousin and to the north-east is Central Loire. Away from the coast there are many valleys, lovely villages and impressive monuments to explore and view. Seven of Poitou-Charentes’ villages are among the group of ‘most beautiful villages in France’. Of course, there is the famous town of Cognac, the capital of brandy production, and then there is the pilgrimage road to Santiago de Compostela in north-west Spain which works its way through Poitiers and which is home to a number of impressive pieces of Roman architecture, sure to catch the eyes.

Between the coast and the city of Niort are the Marais Poitevin marshes - a humid zone where visitors can climb aboard a boat to explore the region. Alternatively, venture through towns, villages and cities to take in the sights of the Bassac Abbey, the Abbey of Saint-Amant-de Boixe and the Saint-Savin Abbey UNESCO World Heritage site. Near to the capital, meanwhile, is the fun and discovery of the Futuroscope theme park with its image technologies and cinemas.

Visitors to Poitou-Charentes can expect to find seafood as a prominent dish on the menu, while other favourites include goat’s cheese, herb pate, melons and of course cognac. The southern town of Angouleme is home to the French comic strip and welcomes guests to the Festival of Cartoons each January.
 

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