Things to do - Places to go
Your stay at Le Moulin offers the ideal combination of enforced relaxation by the pool or days out in the beautiful, Poitou Charentes. The area abounds with those hidden treasures most tourists never see. The more well known regions of the Dordogne and Atlantic Coast are within a day's return by car
Shopping
Most towns and villages in the Charente and the Dordogne have markets open from about 0800 to 1300. Our favourites are - Villebois-Lavalette (Saturday) - Brantome (Friday) - Piegut-Pluviers (Wednesday, one of the largest street markets in the region), Riberac (Friday), Chalais (Monday). The nearest, well stocked, supermarket is at Villebois-Lavalette and there are 3 hypermarkets around Angouleme
Sports and Annual Festivals
There are many water sport facilities in the area, with water parks at Le Paradou (La Roche Chalais), La Grande Praire (Anguoleme) Lac Jarmaye and river beaches with swimming and canoing at St Aulaye, and Aubeterre. fishing, both pool and river, is available in our area. Please return any fish taken from our stream!! There are 4 golf courses within easy reach.
A floodlit tennis court, boules/basket ball courts, running track and an excellent childrens' adventure playground is across the road from Le Moulin. The Tourist Office in Villebois-Lavalette has details of local walks, and cycle hire
France is renown for festivals which usually take place in June, July and August. We have been to the Vintage Car Race Round the Ramparts in Angouleme, most of the the larger F1 cars can't negotiate the corners. Very entertaining
Places of Interest
Some of our recommendations for visits
The historic village of Ronsenac with its 12C Abbey, Priory and ancient river source and Villebois-Lavalette
Vendoire - this nature reserve and Visitors Centre, offers walks around a collection of ancient peat bog lakes, with numerous examples of fauna, flora and water creatures
Angouleme- Visit the old town, Cathedral, ancient ramparts and quaint narrow streets with pavement cafes, the Paper museum and vintage car races in September
Aubeterre Visit the underground Monolithic Church. In summer, the river Dronne offers a sandy beach with canoes and the square has colourful cafes and restaurants. There is also a puppet theatre
Brantome A must visit to this lovely, ancient town with its Monastery, colourful Friday market, cafes, resturants, canoes, boat trips and artisan shops in the old cave dwellings. On the way back visit picturesque Bourdeilles
Cognac Distillery visits include, Hennessey, Martell, Remy -Martin and our favourite, the lesser known Otard. The old town and gardens at the Hotel de Ville are interesting
Jarnac Combine Cognac with a visit here with its lovely riverside walk around the Courvoisier Distillery
Magnacsur Trouce This pretty village is approached via the old bridge over the River Touvre. Don't miss the dramatic underground emergence of the river source nearby
Riberac This large town has many shops, restaurants and a large Friday morning market in the square
Oradour sur Glane Everyone should visit the Martyrs village, which remains untouched and is a very moving memorial to the un-necessary slaughter of its inhabitants and burning of the village and church by the Nazis in 1944
Chassenouil-sue-Bonnieure Combine Oradour with a visit to the dramatic French Resistance Memorial
Ls Rochelle Walk around the famous, ancient, fortified harbour and watch the world go by
Royan -Our nearest seaside resort with its long St Georges beach, is also a car ferry terminus to the Medoc. If time allows, you can explore such famous wines as Chateaux Margaux, Lafitte-Rothschild, Paulliac and many more. Alternatively, you can go and/or return from Blaye with its hillside fort on the Gironde estuary
Futuroscope Marvel at its many 3D cinemascope film image shows. Set off early and take a picnic
Vallee des Singes (Monkey Valley) - Combine with Futuroscope visit
The Dordogne should include Sarlat, Domme, Lascaux for the famous cave paintings, Les Eyzies and La Roque Gageac
Wine Trails Spoilt for choice with the vineyards of the Charente and Pineau all around. Further afield, you can visit the Medoc or the Pomerol, including St Emilion and the world's most expensive Chateau Petrus
Bordeaux The Tourist Information Office offers a guided walking tour round the historic old town. As an alternative, the TGV from Angouleme Station will take you to Bordeaux or even further, including Paris or Arcachon for the day
