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Poitou-Charentes is a coastal region located between the Loire and
the Garonne Rivers on the Atlantic coast of France. Charentes is
famous for producing Cognac
(Brandy) named after a town in the region. Poitou-Charente’s
economy relies primarily on agriculture, viticulture and tourism.
There is virtually no industry in the area which is good news for
visitors. The coastal strip includes the attractive port city of
La Rochelle and popular resort of Royan at the mouth of the Garonne.
Poitiers is a pleasant inland city with plenty of history and a
window on the future. It is home to the interesting space aged theme
park called Futuroscope.
Access to the region is easy with TGV services to Poitiers and daily
flights between the UK and Poitiers and La Rochelle.
La Rochelle | Charente-Maritime | Poitou-Charente | 17000
La Rochelle is a port city of around 80,000 inhabitants located
on France’s Atlantic coast between Nantes and Bordeaux. It
has a lovely old quarter around the port with a good range of seafood
restaurants. Excursions out of La Rochelle include boat trips to
Fort Boyard (location from the Lara Croft game and movie). La Rochelle
is also a good base for exploring the Cognac and Armagnac regions
famous for their brandy. The excellent Puy de Fou theme park is
also located near La Rochelle. Ryan Air, Easyjet and Flybe all offer
connections to the UK.
Poitiers | Vienne | Poitou-Charente | 86000
Poitiers is capital of the Poitou-Charente Region of western France.
It predates Roman occupation of France and is the centre of an important
agricultural region. Located along the TGV line between Paris and
Nantes, Poitiers has almost become a satellite of Paris due to these
high speed trains. The availability of land combined with good transport
links made Poitiers first choice for the major theme park, Futuroscope.
The park attracts visitors from all over Europe arriving directly
into the park on TGV. Futuroscope has in turn encouraged several
other smaller theme parks and zoos to the area so it has become
a popular family destination. There are also several thermal spa
centres and watersports venues. Ryan Air has daily connections between
Poitiers and the UK.
Angoulême | Charente | Poitou-Charente | 16000
Angoulême is an old provincial city located between Bordeaux
and Poitiers. Circled by ancient ramparts with narrow cobbled streets,
Angoulême built its prosperity on the paper industry established
in the middle-ages and lasting until the 1980s economic downturn.
It still maintains a small niche industry concentrating on high
end product however. Every September Angoulême hosts ‘Circuit
des Remparts’, a vintage car rally around the ramparts of
the city, drawing enthusiasts from around the world.
Royan | Charente-Maritime | Poitou-Charente | 17207
Royan is situated at the mouth of the Gironde River on the Atlantic
coast north of Bordeaux. Established in the Middle ages, Royan was
a quiet fishing town until sea bathing became popular in Europe
in the 19th Century. The town was commandeered by Napolean as an
R&R base for his armies. Over the years it developed as an attractive
seaside resort boasting two casinos and a wealth of activities.
There are many beautiful beaches in the area and Royan is a popular
sailing destination.
Getting there
By road with Viamichelin.com
routeplanner
By air via La Rochelle,
Poitiers, Bordeaux, Nantes, Angers
By rail from Paris
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