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WHY BUY IN POITOU-CHARENTES?
Long overlooked by British buyers in favour of neighbouring Dordogne,
Poitou-Charentes offers better value for money and represents a gilt-edge
opportunity for the discerning buyer.
Second only to the Côte d’Azur in annual days of sunshine, the region boasts 300
miles of beautiful coastline, has international airports at La Rochelle
and Poitiers and is only 5 hours drive from St. Malo.
Chief among the attractions are Le Marais Poitevin, France’s own rural
Venice; the charming, ancient port of La Rochelle; the enchanting Isle
de Ré; the lush wooded valleys and hazy vineyards of world famous Cognac
and the region’s vibrant capital city, Poitiers, with its exciting
Futuroscope theme park.
The region also has a rich cultural heritage, from the Roman arch and
amphitheatre at Saintes to the medieval churches at Poitiers and
Parthenay which provided spiritual sustenance to pilgrims on the route to
Santiago de Compostela. Sustenance of a different kind is in abundance in the
region’s cornucopia of freshly caught ‘fruits de la mer’ which are celebrated in
the region’s culinary specialities.
So enjoy Poitou-Charente’s long hot summers and mild winters over a glass of
Cognac on your terrace and congratulate yourself on choosing the French region
which offers the buyer the optimum mix of climate, quality of life, ease of
access and affordability.
POITOU-CHARENTES DEPARTEMENTS: Charente, Charente-Maritime, Deux-Sevres,
Vienne
MAJOR TOWNS IN POITOU-CHARENTES: La Rochelle, Poitiers, Niort,
Angoulème
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WHAT TO SEE IN POITOU-CHARENTES
La Rochelle
With its majestic port, beaches, medieval
cobbled streets and chic shops recessed into arcaded walkways
beneath fine 18th century town houses, La Rochelle really
does have something for everyone. Its harbour is home to the biggest
yachting centre on France’s Atlantic coast.
The entrance to this glorious old harbour is
protected by its erstwhile sentinels, the 14th century
Tour de la Chaine and Tour St-Nicolas – a huge chain used to be
strung between the two towers to prevent unwelcome visitors. They
were well to be wary, in 1628 twenty three thousand citizens were
starved to death during Cardinal Richelieu’s siege of La Rochelle.
The modern visitor is much more likely to succumb to a sudden onset
of gout.
To get an overview of the city, climb the 15th
century Tour de la Lanterne and check out the maritime graffiti left
by prisoners in the 17th-19th centuries. Visit
the Hôtel de Ville (but don’t try to check in) and admire the richly
decorated 16th century courtyard façade. Though a nosegay
is no longer required in modern-day La Rochelle, follow your nose to
the parfumerie ‘Musée du Flacon à Parfum’ in rue du Temple.
Well worth a visit is the huge Aquarium next to
the Vieux Port where visitors walk through transparent tunnels and
get up-close-and-personal with sharks and other creatures best
encountered on dry land.
Isle de Ré
Haunt of well-heeled Parisians and celebrities
fleeing the paparazzi, Isle de Ré is the chic yet understated
‘St Tropez of the North’. Reached by toll bridge from La Rochelle,
the 30 kilometres long island is a fiercely protected site where
glitzy high-rise buildings and tawdry advertising hoardings are just
not allowed. These seemingly draconian planning laws have ensured
that Isle de Ré has remained the most discrete and
consequently the most expensive jewel of France’s Atlantic coast.
The beauty of the island’s natural scenery is
perfectly complemented by its charming villages with their
white-washed houses (no other colour is allowed), their terracotta
roof tiles and their pastel blue and green shutters. A picturesque
riot of colour is injected by the residents who adorn their houses
with hollyhocks and four-o-clock flowers in floral rebellion.
The island’s beauty and climate, together with
its close proximity to La Rochelle with its enviable transport
links, makes this a much coveted location for second home buyers and
investors looking for an all-year-round return.
The most memorable way to explore the island is
by bicycle and there are 100 kilometres of dedicated cycle paths to
choose from. The varied landscape is just waiting for you to explore
it; from the long beaches, sand dunes and pine forests of the south
coast, to the vineyards, market gardens and marshes of the north.
In the centre lie Ars-en-Ré and the island’s main town St
Martin de Ré with its plethora of seafood restaurants where you
can indulge yourself on the locally farmed oysters. Possibly the
best beach is at the western end by the lighthouse Phare des
Baleines.
The island’s Lileau-des-Niges nature
reserve is home to almost three hundred species of birds and many
more ‘twitchers’ who flock here to see them.
Isle d’Oléron
France’s second largest island after Corsica,
Isle d’Oléron is a very popular holiday resort. Its
ocean-facing Côte Sauvage has excellent beaches at Vert Bois and at
Grande Plage near the fishing port of La Cotinière. The coast
facing the mainland is a little tamer and its ancient wetlands and
salt marshes have been converted into “Claire” oyster beds – home to
the island’s famous Marennes-Oléron oysters. Moving inland the
bright colours of the wooden oyster huts soften to subtler hues as
you discover the resident’s low white houses with their pastel
shutters and mimosa and hollyhocks dance attendance on the scene.
* Charente-Maritime has no less than six
seafront thalasso (sea-water) therapy centres where the mineral-rich
water and treatments help harmonise body and mind and help real or
imaginary patients back to fitness and vitality. Contact French
Property Centre for details.
Rochefort
Purpose built to France’s greatest shipyard,
Rochefort produced over 300 vessels a year in the 17th
and 18th centuries. This rich maritime heritage can be
explored at the Musée de la Marine - which displays models of
all the ships ever built in the arsenal – and at the beautifully
restored Corderie Royale (royal ropeworks) which features a
fascinating ropemaking exhibition. Visit the lifesize replica of the
Rochefort frigate which famously helped America gain its
independence; the 65-metre long Hermione is being built
again, learn about the techniques of traditional ship building on
what is a unique construction site.
Don’t miss the exuberant and whimsical
Maison de Pierre Loti, witness the exuberant décor which so
perfectly mirrored Rochefort’s most flamboyant son, the writer
Pierre Loti.
* Off the coast between La Rochelle and Rochefort lies Fort Boyard which was built by Napoleon to
guard the mouth of the Charente. Once used as a prison, this
imposing bastion encircled by the sea has since found fame as the
eponymous star of the Fort Boyard television programme.
Saintes
Exploring Saintes is like opening a book
on the last two thousand years of French history. Finding the town
at the intersection of the river Charente and the their great
road linking Lyon with the Aquitaine region, the Romans appreciated
its strategic importance and invested it with imposing monuments
reflecting the glory of the empire.
Be sure to see the 1st century Roman
amphitheatre Les Arènes built by Claudius in 40AD. It could
hold some 15,000 spectators who, along with notables, gladiators and
lions, entered the arena by the Porte des Vivants; the
victims were carried out feet first through the Porte des Morts
at the opposite end. Though a slightly macabre venue for an
evening’s entertainment, don’t miss the open-air Sites en Scène
shows in August.
The Arc de Germanicus (AD 19) is a
spectacular Roman arch which used to mark the entrance to the bridge
which carried the great road over the river Charente. Next to the
arch, the Musée d’Archéologie – appropriately housed in a
former abattoir – exhibits just a small selection of Saintes’
enormous collection of Roman finds.
The medieval period also blessed Saintes with a
rich cultural heritage. Eglise St-Eutrope was dedicated to
the unfortunate bishop Eutrope who preached in the area before being
stoned and beaten to death by the locals. The same locals then
preserved his relics in the crypt of the church which they built to
venerate his name and redeem themselves. There are fine Romanesque
arches and capitals as well as Gothic additions bestowed by Louis XI
who believed the church cured him of dropsy. The Abbaye aux Dames
(1047) is another medieval gem while the 18th century
Cognac merchants built many fine private mansions which now line the
town’s chic streets.
Always the artery through which Saintes’
life-blood has flowed, the river Charente now welcomes tourists on
board the same traditional flat-bottomed vessels (gabares) which
once carried the barrels of the Cognac which ensured the region’s
prosperity. The meadows running along the banks of the river
penetrate almost into the heart of the town.
Situated between Saintes and Cognac,
the benedictine Abbaye de Fontdouce provided a tranquil
stop-over for pilgrims on their route to Santiago de Compostela.
The monks’ living quarters are still intact as are some fine,
vaulted Gothic rooms. Summer visitors will be hansomely rewarded if
they take in one of the abbey’s open-air evening classical or jazz
concerts. Visit
www.fontdouce.com
Marais Poitevin
The Marais Poitevin or ‘The Green
Venice’ is a beautiful labyrinth of navigable green waterways
adorned by waterlillies and irises. This is Deux-Sèvres’ top
beauty spot and tourist attraction. The local maraîchins or marsh
dwellers use their flat-bottomed boats (plattes) to navigate their
way around in just the same matter-of-fact way as we would take the
car. Don’t be surprised to see cows being ferried around quite
nonchalently by local farmers – a unique and unforgettable pastoral
scene.
If you want to punt around and explore this
enchanting and unique regional park you can rent a boat – with or
without guide – from Coulon (the largest and best equipped
starting point), St. Hilaire la Palud, La Garette or
Arçais. Damvix and Maillezais in the Vendée are
also starting points. Top Tip: Remember your insect repellant.
Parthenay
An otherwise sleepy Deux-Sèvres town
with a cobbled, half-timbered medieval quarter, Parthenay is
transformed on Wednesday mornings when France’s second biggest
livestock market comes to town. The 12th century church
of St-Pierre de Parthenay-le-Vieux is a fine medieval church
with a Poitevin façade featuring Samson and the lion.
Other highlights in Deux-Sèvres include
Niort’s huge 12th century donjon built by Henry II
and Richard the Lionheart to keep the French out of their own
country! Nearby St-Maixent-L’Ecole is famous for its
beautiful, Flamboyant Gothic style abbey; the town also has a
military academy and museum and a thriving farmers’ market. To the
west are the Tumulus de Bougon burial mounds dating from 4500
BC and to the south, Melle’s chief attraction is the 12th
century église St-Hilaire which is in a delightful riverside
setting.
Poitiers
Poitiers is a city which can tell us
many colourful tales about its rich past but which today gets us
much more excited about our future. It was here that the Black
Prince defeated France’s king Jean le Bon in 1356 and where the
Saracens were also defeated - thereby halting the northern march of
Islam. If you only choose one church to see in Poitiers make it the
majestic Notre-Dame-la-Grande with its spectacular polychrome
façade and colourful geometrical patterns on its interior pillars.
But today Poitiers is more famous for
Futuroscope – a sci-fi vision of steel and glass which rises out of
the surrounding fields like an extra-terrestrial visitor. This is a
magnificent futuristic theme park with simulators, 3D experiences
and 360°screens. Don’t miss the “magic carpet” cinema where the
screen on the floor leaves visitors with the distinct impression
that they are indeed flying. Futuroscope has the biggest cinema
screen in Europe and the park is such an attraction that it has its
own TGV station.
* Military historians wishing to revel in the
Black Prince’s famous victory should head first for the Abbaye de
Nouaillé-Maupertuis. From here take the D142 and turn right down
the small road to La Cardinerie which leads to the river
crossing at Gué de L’Omme which was the epicentre of the
battle. Don’t miss the monument half way up the hill which marks the
spot whre the heaviest fighting took place and where the French king
Jean le Bon was captured.
Other sights to see in Vienne include
the hilltop town of Chauvigny with its 11th-12th
century Eglise St-Pierre; the Château de Touffou, a
Renaissance masterpiece with terraces and hanging gardens on the
banks of the Vienne and the 12th century UNESCO
recognised frescoes in St-Savin’s abbey church. These still
vividly coloured wall-paintings show Old Testament scenes such as
the Creation, Noah’s Ark, the Tower of Babel and the Parting of the
Red Sea.
Angoulême
Angoulême is the hilltop city where in
1200 England’s King John (later to sign the Magna Carta) took a
fancy to and married the 12 year old Isabella of Angoulême. This did
little to endear him to the French. The ramparts offer envigorating
walks and splendid views over the Charente valley below. Attractions
include the 12th century Cathédrale St-Pierre
which features a Romanesque frieze on its façade and Angoulême’s
Hôtel de Ville (Town Hall) which retains the 15th
century tower which was once part of the town’s ancient château. The
capital of the département of Charente, Angoulême is also the
unlikely meeting point for afficianados of comic-strips, its
Centre National de la Bande Dessinée et de l’Image has a unique
collection of French comics and cartoons dating back to 1946.
Cognac
Famous the world over for its brandy, Cognac’s
medieval heart remains in and around the chateau on the banks of the
Charente. Here you can walk along narrow cobbled streets between
medieval and Renaissance houses and breathe in the heavy scent of
spirits evaporating from oak casks just as they have done for
centuries. This heavy aroma – referred to as the “angel’s share” –
has actually permeated the locally quarried white stone of the
houses and given them their characteristic hue.
All the famous Cognac houses are here: Otard
(in the Chateau), Hennessy (which ferries visitors between
sites on both sides of the river), Martell (in the old part
of town), Courvoisier and Rémy Martin - which is 4 km
outside the town walls.
* Epicureans can follow the “Etapes du Cognac”
itineraries, these trails lead you from village to village at your
own pace and divulge the secrets of what Victor Hugo called the
“liquour of the gods”. The green ‘Cognac and Vine’ trail
covers the transformation of grapes into eau-de-vie as you journey
from vines to distillery; the blue ‘Cognac and River’ trail
explores the river ports which delivered the precious cargo to sea
for export; and the golden ‘Cognac and Stone’ trail winds
through some of the wine-producing villages and is punctuated by
Gallo-Roman ruins and châteaux.
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FOOD AND DRINK IN POITOU-CHARENTES
The local “Claires” oyster beds produce the
famous Marennes d’Oléron oysters with red label quality for
the “Pousse en Claire” and “Fine de Claire” varieties. Bouchot
mussels from the Aiguillon Bay are another world-famous,
mouthwatering delicacy. They form the basis of two regional dishes;
the mouclade (mussels steamed in white wine with shallots,
garlic and herbs) and the éclade (mussels barbecued under a
blazing pile of dry pine needles.
Cognac, the world-renowned, triple
distilled brandy produced from blending the eaux –de-vie of
different ages and Charente origins (Grande Champagne, Petite
Champagne, Borderies, Fins Bois, Bons Bois and Bois Ordinaires).
Only white grape varieties are allowed: ugni blanc (95%), folle
blanc and colombard (5%). A three-star cognac must be two to three
years old, a VSOP at least four, a Napoleon eight and and an XO ten.
Pineau de Charentes is a distinctive and unique liqueur made
from blending Cognac with freshly pressed grape juice; Vins du
Haut Poitou (reds and whites), Vins de Pays Charentais
(whites).
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GETTING TO POITOU-CHARENTES
AIR
Fly to La Rochelle with ……..
- Ryanair from Stanstead and Dublin
- Flybe from Birmingham and
Southampton
- easyjet from Bristol
Fly to Poitiers with………..
! Certain areas of Poitou-Charentes are
closer to the airports of other regions:
Fly to Angers with ………..
Fly to Tours with………..
ROAD
Paris
à A10
à
Orleans
à
Tours
à Poitiers
à
Niort à Saintes
COACH: Eurolines (08705 186186,
www.eurolines.com) offers services to Angoulême, La Rochelle and
Poitiers
RAIL
London Waterloo / Ashford
à Eurostar
à Paris
Nord à Metro
à Paris Gare Montparnasse
à (TGV)
à Poitiers / La
Rochelle / Angoulême
Contact Rail Europe (08705 848848,
www.raileurope.co.uk) for details
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EVENTS AND FESTIVALS in POITOU-CHARENTES
Francofolies (La Rochelle, July), Festival
International du Film (La Rochelle, June/July), Confolens
International Festival of Folklore (August) Angoulême vintage car
race (mid September), Festival International de la Bande Dessinée
d’Angoulême or Comics Festival (January), International Kite Flying
Festival (Châtelaillon beach, April), Offshore F1 World Championship
(La Rochelle, May), International Sailing Week (La Rochelle,
May/June), Jet-ski Offshore World Championship (Ile d’Oléron, June),
International Film Festival (La Rochelle, June/July), International
Show Jumping (Royan, July), Quad bikes French Championship (St-Jean-d’Angély,
Jazz entre les deux tours (La Rochelle, October).
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POITOU-CHARENTES PROPERTIES FOR SALE
Click here for properties for sale in Poitou-Charentes
Contact us with your suggestions,
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