Chef Boutonne

The market town of Chef Boutonne boasts a peaceful atmosphere, in a part of France perfect for those who seek the ideal country get away, great for walkers and nature lovers. In addition to the weekly market the town also has banking facilities, 2 large supermarkets and a good selection of shops and restaurants.

Near Chef Boutonne is Castle Javarzay . A beautiful Chateaux that was rebuilt in 1514 by the Rochechouart on the remains of an ancient castle, which originally had twelve towers along its walls, sadly there remains now only two. Javarzay is one of the best witnesses of the Renaissance architecture in the Deux-Sèvres. It has a beautiful entrance pavilion flanked by four turrets and has a beautiful fishing lake around it.

La Rochelle

The historic La Rochelle is one of France’s loveliest coastal towns, its historic port is beautifully preserved. With a quayside that bustles with boats small and large, the seafront is packed full of lively cafes, bars and restaurants where you can stop and watch the world go by.

The French flock here for its tourist attractions, great atmosphere and its proximity to the golden sands of the Atlantic beaches and beautiful off-shore islands. The town’s daily market takes over the streets around Place du Marché. For an eye-boggling array of fresh seafood, head to the seafood market at Rue Marche. For the best ice-cream, then head straight for Ernest le Glacier, a family business renowned for their fantastic ice-creams in fabulous flavours.

Royan

Royan on the Charente-Maritime coast can claim to be one of the best Atlantic beach and holiday resorts in France. It has a warm and sunny climate, tourist attractions, a lovely natural location and best of all some wonderful sandy beaches.

Once a chic seaside resort of beautiful Belle Époque architecture, it was flattened in January 1945 by Allied bombing. The town was rebuilt in modernist style in the 1950s today it is an attractive mix of the old and new, the colourful old villas nestling behind the main part of town.

It also has a fine port to wander around, lots of natural areas rich with wildlife to explore and for those who like to shop there’s plenty to do, too, from Royan’s renowned market to some upmarket stores.

Angouleme

Walk around the town and you can trace its history, it dates back to the first century but became politically and historically important during the late Middle Ages. It was during this time that the city walls, called Les Ramparts were first built, as well as St Pierre Cathedral whose spire can be seen from miles around.

It has seen its fair share of battles, being at the heart of the struggle for power between the French and English during the 14th century and then during the French Wars of Religion two hundred years later.

During the 18th and 19th centuries the many paper making mills (now all but disappeared) brought the town great wealth. Today, reminders of these past days can be found in the older medieval style buildings and grander mansion with beautiful facades and thick wooden doors.

Also look out for something more modern – the 20 or so walls decorated with cartoon-style murals by a variety of artists and the 1000 or so street name plaques in the form of a speech bubbles. Angoulême is world-renowned among creators and fans of this creative medium, and hosts the Comic Strip festival every January.

Poitiers

When it comes to historic French towns, Poitiers is dripping with memories of hard fought battles and the pomp and ceremony of French royalty. French queen, Eleanor of Aquitaine, annulled her marriage to Louis VII to marry King Henry II of England, and they established their court here. Joan of Arc tried to claim the city as did Richard the Lion Heart, and in the Hundred Years War, the Battle of Poitiers is ranked with Agincourt as one of England’s great victories against France.

Today Poitiers is rather less turbulent but with a charm and tourist attractions that makes it one of the loveliest towns in the Poitou-Charentes. Its population is just 85,000 but with around one quarter of them university students – Poitiers University dates back to 1431 and counts French philosopher René Descartes and English painter Francis Bacon amongst its former students – it is always lively.

Poitiers is a town to stroll around at leisure. From tree-lined Place Mar Leclerc that is filled with cafés in the summer (at Christmas it becomes an ice-skating ring) meander through cobbled, pedestrianised streets flanked by a mix of centuries-old architecture and half-timbered houses, many of which have been transformed into lovely little boutique shops.

Cognac

As you approach the town of Cognac in the Charente, the scenery changes from fields of grazing cattle to neat rows of vines, stretching as far as the eye can see. The town is famous all over the world thanks to cognac, the grape-based spirit that has been made here for the past 300 years - French writer Victor Hugo called it the ‘liquor of the gods’.

Cognac is a town full of history. France’s first king, François 1 was born here in 1494. A contemporary of King Henry VIII of England he is considered France’s first Renaissance king. He gave the town the right to trade salt using the river, so creating the foundations of its commercial success that was further enhanced when it went into cognac production.

The spirit was first made as an alternative to wine as a preventive drink against scurvy as wine was difficult to transport and took up a lot of space. Double-distilled and turned into brandy (cognac) it was more compact and more stable so travelled well but also tasted better after being aged in oak casks.

Visit the old town, where the narrow streets are a mix of narrow medieval timber framed houses that once housed the workers and the grander mansions of the wealthy merchants. Look out for the salamander that adorns many of the homes and was the insignia of King François 1.

Down by the river are the blackened chais (warehouses) that still store barrels of cognac, their discoloured state caused by the alcohol evaporating into the surrounding air. The locals call this ‘the angels taking their share’ – sadly, the truth is less romantic as the culprit is a tiny fungus that thrives in the alcohol-laden atmosphere.

A Cognac tour: one of most popular tourist attractions is a tour of one – or more! – of the many cognac producers to learn the history of cognac, how it is made plus enjoy a tasting or two. Most of the big names offer a tour. It’s also worth asking the tourist office about tours of the surrounding vineyards and smaller producers where you can also buy direct.

Château de Cognac: the birthplace of François 1 is now called Château de Cognac. During its illustrious history it hosted the marriage of Richard the Lion Heart’s son to Aurélie de Cognac in 1190. During the French Revolution it was sold as national property and bought in 1795 by cognac producer Baron Otard. Today it is the headquarters of Otard cognac. A tour includes some of the rooms of the château.

Take a cruise on a gaberre: the traditional flat-bottomed oak boat that once used to transport cognac, salt and other produce, today transports visitors along the Charente, a great way to see the town from the river. Tickets are available at the tourist office.

Cognathèque: a permanent exhibition devoted to cognac - see and buy 450 different cognacs as well as 50 types of pineau, the delicious aperitif of the Charente. 8 place Jean-Monnet; tel 05 45 82 43 31.