Area Info

We are based in the heart of the Charente River Valley which rises as a gentle meander from the coast near Rochefort. Moving back from the coastline is the contrasting countryside of the Charente-Maritime with the Charente River flowing through Saintes to Cognac and Jarnac. Rolling hillsides and regimented row upon of row of cognac vineyards are patchwork pieced together with fields of sunflowers, golden rape and corn. It’s not all about the sea in the Charente-Maritime, but access to the varied Atlantic coastline plays an important part in setting the scene for the whole department.

Saintes is a commercial and shopping centre with a thriving nightlife and rich architectural and historic heritage. Nearby are Saint-Jean-d’Angely and the fortified medieval town of Pons, perched high on a hilltop with a 12th century castle and keep overlooking the surrounding valley. Cognac and Jarnac are, of course, renowned for the brandy maturing in cellars on the banks of the Charente and produced by the vineyards first planted in the days of the Ancient Romans. The Charente flows on through lush, peaceful countryside, splitting into several arms dotted with low-lying islands, meadows, thickets and yet more vineyards. On the banks are small villages of white stone with Romanesque churches and superb mansions giving way to scattered outbuildings. River attractions include Bourg-Charente, St Savinien and Saint-Brice.

Houses in this area are characterised by a strong attachment to the old ways of cultivating, building, distilling and living. Chateaux blend well with Charentais stone long houses, logis style lodgings, maisons bourgeois, farm worker dwellings and riverside cottages.

Typical of this area are the many classic walled properties glimpsed through magnificent wrought iron gates or stone arches and dotted through villages and hamlets. Contrary to long-held belief, house prices in the Charente-Maritime don’t live up to the ‘champagne’ reputation of the grape – this area still has a good stock of low price barns, houses for conversion to gites or chambres d’hotes and renovations with plenty of land, where some other areas in France are running dry.

The region benefits from the micro-climate that keeps the Charente Valley warm and sunny even when it is raining nearby. When you see the acre upon acre of vineyards that surround the area and sweep up through the valley towards the sea, you will appreciate that the southern Charente, Charente-Maritime and its coastline are truly picturesque. Situated in the Poitou-Charentes, the second sunniest region in France, beaten only by the south of France, what more can you ask for?

It’s easy to get here – you can hop on a plane to Poitiers (90 minutes from the office), La Rochelle (75 minutes from the office) and Bordeaux (90 minutes from the office). By car and ferry the quickest and easiest route is via St Malo, which is only four hours by motorway from our office. Driving via the Shuttle and Calais will take a little longer – approximately seven hours via motorway. The TGV via either Paris or Lille goes straight to Angouleme – once you reach Angouleme it will only take you 30 minutes to get to us.

Whichever route you choose to get to this region, we wish you a happy and safe journey through France to one of its loveliest regions with a seaside story to tell.