Holiday Accommodation South West France

Poitou Charentes rentals offer a selection of holiday accommodation for rent in South West France suitable for parties of 2–14 people. Whether you are holidaying as a couple, seeking the glorious quietude of this delightful region for rest and relaxation or coming away for a break with your friends and family, we are bound to have something to suit your requirements.

Holiday Accommodation South West France – click here to browse our South West France Gites

Location

France is a huge country, some 260,000 square miles in area and more than twice the size of the whole of the UK. When viewed on a map it is very roughly square, making the identification of the south western quarter relatively easy. The South West of France can be defined as those areas included within the bounds of two French departments; Aquitaine and Charentes, although it is also argued that South West France should include at least the south-westerly portion of the Midi Pyrenees too. However you define it though, the south west of France is beautiful, lush, peaceful, temperate and diverse.

All our gites are located in the Pays Mellois region of Poitou Charentes, South West France, mid way between the Loire valley and the vineyards of Bordeaux and Cognac. Just a day’s drive from any of the channel ports, look out for the market towns of Couhé and Lezay on the way down. These mark the border of the Pays Mellois to the north and are your gateways to the region. You will also note that the historic and beautiful port of La Rochelle is within easy reach as is “Green Venice” with its unique canal system.

Accommodation

A gite found in South West France can be anything from a small cottage to a farmhouse, a townhouse to some renovated outbuildings or even a large château. They can sleep any number of people depending on their size and as such, are perfect for accommodating groups of people both large and small. All gites are offered on a self catering basis. This means that in most cases everything is provided but the food.

Poitou Charentes Rentals have 13 beautiful gites to rent in South West France. All of them are situated on sizeable plots and are very well presented with their own private swimming pools. They offer a wide range of accommodation from 2 to 6 bedrooms and our largest gite can sleep 12-14 people comfortably, making it the perfect destination for a large family get together.

Click here to view our holiday gites for rent

Climate

The weatherin the Charente region can be fairly well relied upon all year round. During the winter months it is very mild and thanks to its oceanic influence, the summers, though hot, are never muggy or sticky. The area benefits from 2,400 hours of sunshine a year and is arguably, one of the hottest and sunniest places on the whole of the Atlantic coast.

One of the first things you notice about the Poitou Charentes region is its colour. It is green, not the parched, yellow green of Pampas grass but the verdant, succulent dark green of Jade. This is due to the perfect combination of sunshine, rainfall and rich soils which continually fill the area’s larders, wine cellars and liquor cabinets with fresh and tasty local produce.

Food

The Poitou Charentes is a food lover's delight. There are some outstanding regional specialities featuring foie gras and duck together with a wonderful array of fresh sea food, and some excellent local cheeses. Local restaurants serve up such delights as Oyster Marenne d'Oléron with Pineau and Escargots in Burgundy. For a truly Charentes take on the snail, ask for “Cagouilles.” Look out too for bouchot mussels served with early potatoes and Mojhettes served with a knob of butter, delicious with a glass of wine from the high Poitou and a Cognac or two.

Sports

There are numerous sporting activities on offer in the area including golf, tennis, fishing, canoeing, horse riding and cycling. Beautiful golf courses like those at Les Forges, Mazière, Cognac, Angouleme and Poitiers await you, as do plenty of tennis courts which tend to be located on the outskirts of most small towns.
Fishing and canoeing on the lakes and rivers is a great way to spend a day as is a tour of local countryside on horseback. It is possible to hire bikes during your holiday from various places within the region.

Culture

As an essential part of your cultural experience, we recommend you sample the local Cognac. In Cognac itself you can spend a glorious half day, blending your own Brandy, with a master class, tours and tastings from Camus - a family run Cognac house.

For a different kind of culture, take a trip to the comic-strip museum in Angoulême on the rue de Bordeaux. Inside you’ll find thousands of comics and original drawings from the creators of Tin Tin, Asterix and Popeye as well as a huge section devoted to all the Marvel comic book characters including Spiderman, The Incredible Hulk, Iron Man and The X Men amongst others. Whilst the kids (and some of the adults) are preoccupied with the comics, others can enjoy a lovely picnic in the grounds of the museum.

Click here for more information on things to do in the region




Holiday Accommodation South West France Poitou Charentes rentals offer a selection of holiday accommodation for rent in South West France suitable for parties of 2–14 people. Whether you are holidaying as a couple, seeking the glorious quietude of this delightful region for rest and relaxation or coming away for a break with your friends and family, we are bound to have something to suit your requirements. Holiday Accommodation South West France – click here to browse our South West France Gites Location France is a huge country, some 260,000 square miles in area and more than twice the size of the whole of the UK. When viewed on a map it is very roughly square, making the identification of the south western quarter relatively easy. The South West of France can be defined as those areas included within the bounds of two French departments; Aquitaine and Charentes, although it is also argued that South West France should include at least the south-westerly portion of the Midi Pyrenees too. However you define it though, the south west of France is beautiful, lush, peaceful, temperate and diverse. All our gites are located in the Pays Mellois region of Poitou Charentes, South West France, mid way between the Loire valley and the vineyards of Bordeaux and Cognac. Just a day’s drive from any of the channel ports, look out for the market towns of Couhé and Lezay on the way down. These mark the border of the Pays Mellois to the north and are your gateways to the region. You will also note that the historic and beautiful port of La Rochelle is within easy reach as is “Green Venice” with its unique canal system. Accommodation A gite found in South West France can be anything from a small cottage to a farmhouse, a townhouse to some renovated outbuildings or even a large château. They can sleep any number of people depending on their size and as such, are perfect for accommodating groups of people both large and small. All gites are offered on a self catering basis. This means that in most cases everything is provided but the food. Poitou Charentes Rentals have 13 beautiful gites to rent in South West France. All of them are situated on sizeable plots and are very well presented with their own private swimming pools. They offer a wide range of accommodation from 2 to 6 bedrooms and our largest gite can sleep 12-14 people comfortably, making it the perfect destination for a large family get together. Click here to view our holiday gites for rent Climate The weatherin the Charente region can be fairly well relied upon all year round. During the winter months it is very mild and thanks to its oceanic influence, the summers, though hot, are never muggy or sticky. The area benefits from 2,400 hours of sunshine a year and is arguably, one of the hottest and sunniest places on the whole of the Atlantic coast. One of the first things you notice about the Poitou Charentes region is its colour. It is green, not the parched, yellow green of Pampas grass but the verdant, succulent dark green of Jade. This is due to the perfect combination of sunshine, rainfall and rich soils which continually fill the area’s larders, wine cellars and liquor cabinets with fresh and tasty local produce. Food The Poitou Charentes is a food lover's delight. There are some outstanding regional specialities featuring foie gras and duck together with a wonderful array of fresh sea food, and some excellent local cheeses. Local restaurants serve up such delights as Oyster Marenne d'Oléron with Pineau and Escargots in Burgundy. For a truly Charentes take on the snail, ask for “Cagouilles.” Look out too for bouchot mussels served with early potatoes and Mojhettes served with a knob of butter, delicious with a glass of wine from the high Poitou and a Cognac or two. Sports There are numerous sporting activities on offer in the area including golf, tennis, fishing, canoeing, horse riding and cycling. Beautiful golf courses like those at Les Forges, Mazière, Cognac, Angouleme and Poitiers await you, as do plenty of tennis courts which tend to be located on the outskirts of most small towns. Fishing and canoeing on the lakes and rivers is a great way to spend a day as is a tour of local countryside on horseback. It is possible to hire bikes during your holiday from various places within the region. Culture As an essential part of your cultural experience, we recommend you sample the local Cognac. In Cognac itself you can spend a glorious half day, blending your own Brandy, with a master class, tours and tastings from Camus - a family run Cognac house. For a different kind of culture, take a trip to the comic-strip museum in Angoulême on the rue de Bordeaux. Inside you’ll find thousands of comics and original drawings from the creators of Tin Tin, Asterix and Popeye as well as a huge section devoted to all the Marvel comic book characters including Spiderman, The Incredible Hulk, Iron Man and The X Men amongst others. Whilst the kids (and some of the adults) are preoccupied with the comics, others can enjoy a lovely picnic in the grounds of the museum. Click here for more information on things to do in the region