La Mothe-Saint-Heray
C O M I T É D É PA R T E M E N TA L D U T O U R I S M E D E L A C H A R E N T E Lussac-les-Château Gençay
Montmorillon
NIORT
Marans
DEUX-SÈVRES Mural in Angoulême
Château of Bayers
Underground church in Aubeterre
Tourist map
The Charente
The abbaye at Saint-Amant-de-Boixe
EDITION L'Isle-Jourdain
LA ROCHELLE
Civray
Niort
Our online maps
Aigrefeuille
Download all our maps: • Map for bathing and other nautical activities • Map of the Charente • Map of other rivers and lakes • Map of cognac areas • Map of mountain bike trails and find all the Charente on the map on our website: www.visitcharente.com
VIENNE
Paris/Poitiers Melle
Surgères
2008
Chef-Boutonne
Bellac-Guéret
Aulnay
Rochefort
Saint-Jean-d'Angély
CHARENTE-MARITIME
Matha Saint-Junien
Taillebourg
Marennes
Limoges
Saintes
Royan
DEUXSEVRES
VIENNE
Niort
Poitiers
La Rochelle
Village d’Aubeterre-sur-Dronne
POITOU-CHARENTES
CHARENTEMARITIME
Reception information
CHARENTE
Limoges
Angoulême
Nine sites have the label “Tourism and the disabled” and take into account various types of disability (motor, visual, hearing and mental):
Pons
Tourist offices
Bordeaux
Nontron
Tourist offices, reception and information Museums
OT* AIGRE Brive
Monuments and châteaux
> François Mitterrand Museum in Jarnac > Hennessy cognac house in Cognac
Abbeys or churches
Jonzac Brantôme
Archeological sites
> The “Espace Découverte en pays de Cognac”, Cognac > The Museum of the Arts of Cognac, Cognac > The Chabrot mill, Montbron > The Departmental Center of Chambon, Eymouthiers > Auditorium of Marthon
> La Guerlie beach, lake Lavaud
> Rest area of “Fontaine Saint-Pierre”
Tourist offices, reception and information Sites which are to be certified:Museums
> Museum of Angoulême > Cognac Courvoisier house, Jarnac > Cognac Martell house, Cognac
Legend
Monuments and châteaux Abbeys or churches Archeological sites Mills Cognac houses
Tourist offices, reception and information Museums
Parks and gardens
Monuments and châteaux
Camping sites
Abbeys or churches
Swimming pools
Archeological sites
Water sports
Mills
Boat trips on the rivers
Cognac houses
Bathing facilities in rivers and lakes
Parks and gardens
Climbing and accrobranche
Animal center park
Golf courses
Animal center park
Tourist offices, reception and information Tourist offices, Tourist offices, reception and information Museums reception and information Museums Museums and châteaux Monuments Monuments and châteaux Monuments and châteaux Abbeys or churches Abbeys or churches Abbeys or churches Archeological sites Archeological sites Archeological sites Mills Mills Mills houses Cognac Cognac houses Cognacand houses Parks gardens Parks and gardens Parks and gardens Animal center park Animal center park Animal center Camping sites park Camping sites Camping sites Swimming pools Swimming pools Swimming pools Water sports Water sports Water sports Boat trips on the rivers Boat trips on the rivers Boat trips on the rivers Bathing facilities in rivers and lakes Bathing facilities in rivers and lakes Bathing facilities in rivers and lakes Climbing and accrobranche Climbing and accrobranche Climbing and accrobranche Golf courses Golf courses Golf courses Cross count ry biking tours Cross count ry biking tours Cross ry biking tours Holidaycount country resorts Holiday country resorts Holiday country resorts Cognac vineyards Cognac vineyards Cognac vineyards The Pilgrim’s way The Pilgrim’s way to Compostelle The Pilgrim’s way to Compostelle to Compostelle Main cross country Main cross country itineraries Main cross country itineraries
visitcharente.com
Mills
Périgueux
Cognac houses Parks and gardens
DORDOGNE
Animal center park Camping sites Swimming pools Water sports Boat trips on the rivers Bathing facilities in rivers and lakes
Ribérac
Bordeaux
Climbing and accrobranche
GIRONDE
Cross count ry biking tours
Main cross country itineraries Cycling trails Rambling and cycling trails Cycling cars on rails
• The road: A10 / N10 / A20 • Airs: airports Bordeaux, Limoges, Poitiers, Angoulême-Cognac and Bergerac. • The rail: TGV railway stations in Angoulême and Ruffec 00 33 8 92 35 35 35 Angoulême / Paris (18 TGV per day): 2 h 10 Lille / Angoulême: 4 h Roissy / Angoulême: 3 h 10 Bordeaux / Angoulême: 0 h 55
• Road distances from Angoulême: Bordeaux: 115 km Paris: 450 km La Rochelle: 130 km Périgueux: 80 km Lille: 680 km Poitiers: 115 km Limoges: 100 km Nantes: 250 km Lyon: 450 km Royan: 105 km
Telephone: 05 45 81 09 30 Mail: info@jarnac-tourisme.com Site: www.jarnac-tourisme.com
PÔLE TOURISTIQUE DU SUD CHARENTE
OT** MANSLE
Tel. Aubeterre: 05 45 98 57 18 Mail: aubeterre-tourisme@wanadoo.fr Site: aubeterresurdronne.free.fr Antenne de Barbezieux: 05 45 78 91 04 Mail: office.tourisme.3b@wanadoo.fr Site: www.ot3b.com Antenne de Blanzac: 05 45 64 14 88 Mail: office.de.tourisme.blanzac@wanadoo.fr Site: www.ot-blanzacais.fr.st Antenne de Chalais: 05 45 98 02 71 Antenne de Montmoreau: 05 45 24 04 07 Mail: otsimontmoreau@aol.com
Telephone: 05 45 63 07 45 Mail: ot-larochefoucauld@wanadoo.fr Telephone: 05 45 20 39 91 Mail: ot.pays.manslois@wanadoo.fr
OT* MONTBRON
Telephone: 05 45 23 60 09 Mail: info@ot-montbron.com Site: www.ot-montbron.com
OT* MONTIGNAC/CHARENTE
Telephone: 05 45 22 71 97 Mail: ot.montignac.charente@wanadoo.fr Site: monsite.wanadoo.fr/otmontignac-boixe
OT** CHÂTEAUNEUF/CHARENTE
OT* ROUILLAC
In course to be certified “Tourism & Handicap“
In course to be certified “Tourism & Handicap“
OT** CONFOLENS Hendaye / Angoulême: 3 h 10 London / Angoulême: 5 h Brussels / Angoulême: 5 h 20
In course to be certified “Tourism & Handicap“
OT** L A ROCHEFOUCAULD
Telephone: 05 45 82 10 71 Mail: office@tourism-cognac.com Site: www.tourism-cognac.com
Finding your way
OT** JARNAC
Telephone: 05 45 95 16 84 Mail: info@angouleme-tourisme.com Site: www.angouleme-tourisme.com
OT*** COGNAC
Bergerac
Holiday country resorts
The Pilgrim’s way to Compostelle
OT*** ANGOULÊME
Telephone: 05 45 97 13 32 Mail: ot.chateauneuf.sur.charente@freesbee.fr
Golf courses
Cognac vineyards
Telephone: 09 64 41 35 63 Mail: officetourisme.aigre@orange.fr Site: www.ot-aigre.com
Telephone: 05 45 84 22 22 Mail: otconfolentais@wanadoo.fr Site: www.tourisme-confolens.com
OT** HAUTE-CHARENTE
Tel. Massignac: 05 45 65 26 69 Antenne de Chabanais: 05 45 89 08 29 Antenne de Chasseneuil: 05 45 39 60 71 Mail: office.tourisme@lacshautecharente.com
Telephone: 05 45 21 80 05 Mail: otdurouillacais@wanadoo.fr
OT** RUFFEC
Telephone: 05 45 31 05 42 Mail: ot.ruffecois@wanadoo.fr
OT* SEGONZAC
Telephone: 05 45 83 37 77 Mail: ot.grandechampagne@wanadoo.fr
OT** VILLEBOIS-LAVALETTE
Telephone: 05 45 64 71 58 Mail: otlavalette@charente-verte.fr Site: www.charente-verte.fr
Maison du Tourisme 21, rue d’Iéna 16021 Angoulême Cedex Tel.: 05 45 69 79 09 Fax: 05 45 69 48 60
visitcharente.com
Agence Richet & Compagnie - Crédits photos : G. Arnaud, OT Aubeterre, P. Bertrand, J.P. Boulesteix, CDT 16, Centre de plein air du Chambon, J.L. Clavel/OT Cognac, Gastronomades, J.D. Guillou, S. Laval, Les Ateliers Martron, P. Zandvliet, Lewis Trondheim, Communication 22 - Impression sur papier écologique sans chlore.
Tourism and the disabled
HAUTE-VIENNE
Tours
Nantes
The cathedral of St-Pierre, Angoulême
Mural in Angoulême
Things to see, things to do • The guided visits in the great cognac houses • The château des Valois • The Espace Découverte en Pays de Cognac • The Museum of the Arts of Cognac • Cruise on the “La Dame Jeanne” sailing barge • Cognac golf club...
Cognac,
a land of plenty.
In cognac country, the rows of vines shape the countryside, follow the valley slopes right up to the farm gates. Here the stave splitters, coopers, wine growers, distillers and cellar masters all unite to produce the liqueur of the gods. The town itself as much as its famous eau-de-vie make cognac definitely worth visiting. François 1st was born there, started the trade in salt on the river and brought prosperity to the town. A town rich in heritage and history... to explore!
Rowing on lake Lavaud
Angoulême, capital
of the comic strip.
From the ancient castle where Marguerite de Valois was born to the Romanesque cathedral dedicated to Saint Peter, Angoulême displays its rich architectural heritage at each street corner but not only that. A balloon of creativity has landed on the walls of the town, walls “painted” by famous comic strip authors. With its International Festival of the Comic Strip and the museum devoted to the ninth art, Angoulême is a town of Art, History… and comics!
Things to see, things to do • Museum of Angoulême • The cathedral of St-Pierre • The painted walls trail • The Comic Strip and Image International City • Fleurac Mill at Nersac • Cruise on board the Angoumois • Walking and climbing in the valley of the Eaux Claires • Water sports at the lake in St-Yrieix...
The Charente, a timeless river. The valley of the Charente runs from Angoulême to Cognac and on to the ocean with a host of surprises awaiting on the banks.
Things to see, things to do • River tourism on the Charente • Excursions in canoes or kayaks • The Abbey at St-Amant-de-Boixe • The Letuffe Chocolaterie for handmade chocolates at Trois Palis • The Maison des Gabarriers at St-Simon • The François Mitterrand Museum in Jarnac...
Upstream from Angoulême the Charente resembles Louisiana, with a maze of small branches winding their way through a veritable bayou. After Angoulême, the Charente is tranquil and navigable, dotted with bridges and locks. The former towpaths along the banks are now a delight for ramblers and cyclists. Head for the open air...
Village of Aubeterre-sur-Dronne
Rendez vous
in the Charente
The Charente beats all year to the rhythm of its major events and festivals.
January
• International Comics Festival in Angoulême May • “Musiques Métisses” in Angoulême
The lakes of the Upper Charente, a full-scale playground.
Here is a land of hedged fields and forests of chestnut, ideal for fans of open spaces and fresh air.
Things to see, things to do
The lakes at Lavaud and Mas Chaban, which were created to maintain a steady flow of the river Charente, form the largest freshwater lake in the Poitou-Charentes. There is bathing and all sorts of nautical activities... There is also rambling and cycling on the narrow roads and white paths which crisscross the area, watching the birds by the water’s edge or admiring the splendid limousine cows in the meadows.
• The underground church at Aubeterre-sur-Dronne • The château de La Rochefoucauld • The 17th century covered market at Villebois-Lavalette • The medieval monastery garden at Tusson...
Further details on
Things to see, things to do • Pedalo, canoeing, catamaran or wind surf... • Fishing from the edge of the lakes • Treetop obstacle course at Aventure Parc® • Vélo-rail between Confolens and Roumazières • The Gallo-Roman thermal baths at Chassenon...
visitcharente.com
Cities and villages of character, route of charm.
In red granite, white limestone, historic, protected or listed, set low in a valley or on a rocky spur, each village has a thousand and one things hidden away to discover as you take a stroll... Classed among the “Most Beautiful Villages in France” Aubeterre-sur-Dronne is packed with riches in the south Charente. But there is also La Rochefoucauld and its castle, Villebois-Lavalette, Tusson, St-Simon, Brigueuil and St-Germain-de-Confolens...
June • Festival of the Romantic in Blanzac • “Sarabandes des Bouchauds” in St-Cybardeaux • “Le Printemps de la Danse” in Villebois-Lavalette July • The Medieval Fete in Dignac • “Fête du cognac” in Cognac • Garden Nef Party in Angoulême • “Blues passions” in Cognac
August • International Folk Festival in Confolens • French Language Film Festival in Angoulême September • “Coup de Chauffe” in Cognac • Tour of the Ramparts in Angoulême October • “Piano en Valois” in Charente November • “Ludoland”, a show of toys, games and books in Angoulême • “Gastronomades” in Angoulême
Hurry and book
your holiday in the Charente The departmental committee for tourism in the charente and its reservation service loisirs accueil offer a selection of holiday accomodation, holiday ideas... for a week-end, a week or more! Contact us on visitcharente.com or on
05 45 69 48 64/65