Charente / Vendee Towns  As a generalisation this area does not offer a vast choice of characterful towns and villages, however it does possess some gems with great variety including the Roman town of Saintes with a superb amphitheatre, the town of Cognac (known worldwide for its brandy) and the lovely coastal town of La Rochelle with a quaint harbour and intimate shopping streets.  La Rochelle especially we would rate as a "must visit"!

Cognac   If you like Cognac then it’s a must!

Location: Between Saintes and Angouleme on the N141.
Description: The Vineyards of the valley of Charente are famous for their production of cognac (brandy). Although production extends into Charente-Maritime and Deux-Sevres, it is concentrated twenty miles around Cognac and Jarnac. Excellent website all about Cognac (the drink, not the town!).

Our recommendations: Most of the famous Cognac houses offer visits – Remy Martin  has a train ride around their site which takes you into the underground caves.  Hennessey  include a boat ride in theirs.
For further information on Cognac, Brandy and Armagnac visit our Specialist Wine section.
For the children: Not so much for them here.

         - Aubeterre-sur-Dronne
         - Cognac
         - La Rochelle
         - Niort
         - Saintes
         - Talmont-sur-Gironde

Also worth a visit if you are close by are the seaside town of Royan, Coulon in the Marais Poitévin and many of the seaside towns sitting alongside the beach resorts we recommend.

External websites offering information on the Vendee and Charente Maritime:

- Poitou Charente Vacances
- Le Charente

- Angela Bird's website on the Vendée

     - Top Attractions in Charente / Vendee
     - Top ten Holiday destinations in France

Courvoisier Distillery                                

Location: Imposing buildings on the quayside in the centre of Jarnac, 13 km east of Cognac.
General Information: 2, Place du Château, Jarnac Tel No:- 0(5) 45 35 56 16  www.courvoisier.com. .Public parking available in the town. Visit is €4 for over 18’s.Open every day from May-Sept (except Saturdays in May and Sept) from 10.00-13.00 and 14.00-18.00.
Description: The name of Courvoisier and its hallmark of the Napoleon silhouette is known worldwide. The distillery is one of many cognac works that can be visited in the Charente region, but this one has the advantage of a lovely setting right next to the River Charente in the pretty small town of Jarnac. All visits are by guided tour but these are available in English and are an extremely good introduction to the whole cognac making process. There is a shop to make purchases.

Our Recommendations: Make sure you sign up for an English speaking tour to get the most out of your visit.

For the children: Experience has taught us that children do not rank guided tours (especially any wine/spirit related ones) as high on their agendas, so be warned!