Vendée and Charente Cottages

Holiday Cottages in Vendée and Charente

Welcome to Vendée & Charente

Home of Cognac, fabulous beaches, idyllic islands and rich rural heritage, your Vendée and Charente country cottage offers a region bursting with excellent attractions and activities, culture and history – a really top spot for your country cottage get-a-way-from-it-all holiday in a beautiful region of France.

Vendée & Charente’s Atlantic coast line has some fabulous beaches and boasts plenty of sunny hours – second only to Provence. As you will imagine this is a watersports paradise with the added attraction of some gorgeous islands just off the coast to explore including La Rochelle and the Ile de Ré. Surfing, sailing, or the more user friendly pedaloe, whatever you like to do at the seaside you’ll find it here. Check out Vendée’s top beaches, plus less populated marshes and woodland for superb wildlife and walks.

Inland you’ll find rolling vineyards and a strong rural tradition. There are many picturesque villages, fortified towns, châteaux and fine historical buildings and gardens to enjoy in Charente, including the Roman baths and amphitheatres of Poitiers. Plus the River Charente that winds its way through beautiful scenery between Angouleme and Rochefor offers bags of opportunities to mess about in boats and some great fishing.

Vendée & Charente is also home to two of the most fab theme parks in France: Futuroscope between Poitiers and Châtellerault, and the awesome experience at Le Puy du Fou. There are also many aquariums, wildlife parks, museums and zoos to inspire and delight the whole family!

Things to do in Vendée & Charente

Relax on the Vendée’s 140km of sandy beaches – it’s a tough job but someone’s got to do it… Explore the top locations including Les Sables-d’Olonne and La Tranche-sur-Mer plus other less populated sandy stretches. For watersports, surfers head for La Tranche and Longeville, inland explore the waterways of the Marais Poitevin, or ‘Green Venice’ by renting a flat-bottomed boat and paddling around a picturesque maze of canals lined by tall poplars and willows. There’s a range of 18-hole golf courses to choose from and plenty of waymarked walking and cycling routes to enjoy.

If you like history head for Angoulême; a 19th century city with a medieval heart and a love of comic strips! Check out its fascinating museums of from fine art to natural history and the sciences. Visit the many fine châteaux in Charente including château de La Rochefoucauld, known as the “Pearl of the Angoumois” and the truly impressive 12^th century fortifications of Château du duc d’Epernon at Villebois-Lavalette… And for something completely different how about some lama trekking?!

Throughout the region of Vendée and Charente the whole family will enjoy some fantastic attractions including the two super theme parks of Futuroscope and more historic fun and games with falcons, Vikings and Romans at Le Puy du Fou, which also boast a great evening ‘son et lumiere’ (sound and light) display. The lovely old seaside town of La Rochelle has an aquarium that’s well worth a visit, as is Zoo de La Palmyre just to the north of Royan on the coast. Also make time to visit picturesque Ile de Ré, an island just off La Rochelle for great cycling and plenty by way of family fun and relaxation.