Historically hospitable Charente.

Historically hospitable, the Charente has been home or host
to farming Gauls, conquering Romans, exhausted pilgrims and valiant Knights Templar, warring nobles, craftsmen and merchants.

Buffeted by Crusades, periods of secession from the French throne, the Religious Wars, the Revolution and a recent ‘invasion’ of English-speaking settlers, the Charente charms with its soothing patchwork of landscapes liberally dotted with little villages and towns where traditional life seems to carry on regardless.

The Charente is one of four départements making up the region of Poitou-Charentes with Charente- Maritime, Deux-Sèvres and Vienne. For sightseeing convenience the Charente is divided into five areas (see map ).

Its human scale means you are never more than a day trip from anywhere else in the département. Each area has distinctive features but all have a generous share of river.
The Charente has one of the richest displays of Romanesque art, and all variations are represented.
Angoulême’s cathedral to Saint Pierre is an absolute must, as is the monumental abbey at Saint-Amand-de-Boixe, the stonework in the church of Saint-Denis at Lichères, the towering belfry of Lesterps abbey, the animalia at Notre- Dame de Courcôme, Châteauneuf-sur- Charente’s equestrian statue, the abbey at Châtres near Saint-Brice with a sound and light show in July and Plassac-Rouffiac’s church where the front facade has been used as a model for many other churches.
Historically hospitable Charente.

Historically hospitable, the Charente has been home or host
to farming Gauls, conquering Romans, exhausted pilgrims and valiant Knights Templar, warring nobles, craftsmen and merchants.

Buffeted by Crusades, periods of secession from the French throne, the Religious Wars, the Revolution and a recent ‘invasion’ of English-speaking settlers, the Charente charms with its soothing patchwork of landscapes liberally dotted with little villages and towns where traditional life seems to carry on regardless.
From the South Charente, with its echoes (but fewer tourists) of next-door Dordogne, to the gently sloping vineyards and

 fine stone mansions of the wealthy cognac-producing West Charente, through the sleepy riverside villages

 of the flatter Ruffecois,

 to the hillier pine and fir forests of the Haute-Charente on the borders of the Limousin,
or the caves and rock formations in the Horte-et- Tardoire, you are always within easy reach of the

Angoumois in the centre, radiating around the préfecture city of Angoulême.

Moderation in all things
Just one département away from the Atlantic, the climate here is clement and mild, balmy in summer, and the light has a

 seaside radiance.
The locals are relaxed, easy to talk to, down-to-earth and often show off that special Charentais sense of humour which

 consists in poking

fun at themselves.
The French traditionally consider the Charentais as somewhat laid back, not to say lazy, loud-mouthed and zany. They are

stereotyped by

allusion to their most famous Charente products – cognac and the Charentaise slipper.
Take great care not to confuse a native of the Charente with one from the nearby Charente-Maritime – local pride reminiscent

of Kentish men

 and Men of Kent.
François I was born here, and other famous sons of the Charente include the writers La Rochefoucauld and Alfred de Vigny

 and, more recently, theformerpresident François Mitterrand.

links to place's to see and go

With its well-preserved yet domesticatedcountryside and virtually every
food product available fresh
from the woods, fields, rivers and nearby ocean, the Charentais
is generally
quite happy
with his
peaceful lot.

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