Holidays in South West France

On the western coast of France, south of the Vendee and Vienne and north of Gironde and the Dordogne, lies the area known as Poitou-Charentes. Reputed to be the second most sunny region of France, after Provence, it is home to some of the most breathtaking scenery the country has to offer.

Poitou Charentes has become a favourite among Europeans seeking holidays in south west France, with many British, Irish and Dutch holidaymakers renting gites in the area. Very easy to get to by car via the southern English sea ports, Poitou Charentes is approximately 6 and 4 hours drive from Calais and St Malo respectively. Poitou-Charentes is a verdant oasis of woodlands, vineyards and quiet leisure lakes. Historic villages dot the landscape, some dating back to medieval times.

An abundance of Châteaux and 13th century churches keep watch over the ancient towns and villages of the area and a visit to each one, will reveal some awe inspiring scenes and provide the most wonderful photo opportunities. Old buildings, cobbled streets and cafés come together to bring you the ultimate in authentic French holiday experiences. The Poitou-Charentes region is made up of 4 separate departments; The Charente, The Charente Maritime, Deux Sevres and Vienne.

In The Charente department the principal city is Angouleme. From its elevated position, this great walled city affords views of the surrounding countryside, in all directions. The old town has been wonderfully preserved and renovated and is now a charming cobbled restaurant quarter, with some interesting galleries and boutiques. A visit to Cognac, which is just under an hour away, will make an interesting day trip. The home of brandy, many famous distillers offer tours through miles of vaulted cellars.

Most of the towns' inhabitants are, or have been, involved in the production or sale of brandy in one way or another and many of them will regale you with stories of their involvement in a particularly good vintage. Situated at the mouth of the Charente, the town of Rochefort is home to The Corderie Royale, a former rope making factory which has been beautifully restored and offers visitors the chance to see how rope was made throughout the centuries. Just nearby, in dry dock at present, you can see the reconstruction of the Hermione, a French sailing frigate that went to the aid of the American colonists. The top deck is nearing completion now and this painstaking restoration, which will culminate in an historic repeat voyage, is expected to be finished sometime in 2012. If you like good food, you'll love your holidays in south west France.

Throughout the region you'll find many farmers' markets where local, natural produce is proudly displayed on carts and trestle tables. The markets are always a hive of activity, in which you'll find honest, great tasting fruits, vegetables, meats, bread, flowers and honeys. One of the joys of self catering holidays in south west France, is that you get to bring all this home grown goodness back to your own dining table. Combine this, with a nice glass of Bergerac or Jurançon and alfresco dining on a warm summers evening and you have found true paradise. Local foods of the region include Foie Gras and a plentiful supply of fresh sea food. They do some wonderful things with Duck accompanied by some lovely cheeses and truffles.

Restaurants abound in the area, with menus to suit all tastes, from local bars to Michelin stars, it's all here. The restaurants are child friendly too, embracing the truly French ideal, that food and drink are pleasures to be shared with the whole family. Another great way to spend a day of your holiday is to get out for a picnic. There is an abundance of designated picnic areas to be found all over the south west of France, many of which are located on the banks of picturesque leisure lakes which attract families from across Europe, all year round. Many of the lakes allow permit fishing and water sports though these are usually restricted to non pollutant activities such as wind surfing, canoeing, kayaking and snorkelling.

The Poitou Charentes region of South West France has lots to offer families. For the active, there is horse riding, tennis and hill walking and for those seeking a more genteel break, there are miles and miles of beautiful countryside in which to roam.

For the golfing enthusiast, there are plenty of very good courses to choose from, offering the choice of 9, 18 and even 27 holes at various levels of difficulty. There are 12 courses in all. Chateau des Forges is laid out in beautiful open countryside, over 110 hectares. This undulating and quite challenging course encourages you to take your time, relax and really get into your swing. The driving range has 25 bays and there are three separate short games to play. Golf at Mazieres-en Gatine provides eighteen holes of the most beautiful Golf to be had in the area. Its recently refurbished château provides a stunning backdrop to this quite beautiful course and Le Manoir de Beauvoir, located 9km east of Poitiers at Mignaloux, is very pretty. Set in the wooded grounds of an hotel by the same name, eight of the 18 holes have some sort of water feature so you'll either need to be very good, have plenty of balls or have some waders to get round this one. If golf is not for you and your idea of the perfect French holiday involves nothing more, than lounging around by a pool, getting lost in a good book while you sunbathe and sip a cool drink, then our self catering holidays in south west France will suit you perfectly. We have been renting self catering holiday gites and apartments to families, couples and groups of friends, for the last nine years and have built a reputation of which we feel justly proud.

If you are considering taking your holidays in south west France this year, we have a huge range of self-catering holiday homes that sleep from 2 to 12 persons. Our holiday homes and apartments are well equipped, spacious and very well presented. They will appeal to anyone looking to take a well earned break in truly beautiful surroundings, well away from the hustle and bustle of mass tourism and without the restrictions of hotels. With no dress code, no set menus and no timetables, you are free to enjoy your holidays in south west France, exactly as you choose.

All our accommodations feature televisions (most with English satellite TV) and all are equipped with well appointed kitchens with dishwashers, microwaves and washing machines and all bed linens and hand towels are provided.

Holidays in South West France - click here to browse our gites, cottages and farmhouses




Holidays in South West France On the western coast of France, south of the Vendee and Vienne and north of Gironde and the Dordogne, lies the area known as Poitou-Charentes. Reputed to be the second most sunny region of France, after Provence, it is home to some of the most breathtaking scenery the country has to offer. Poitou Charentes has become a favourite among Europeans seeking holidays in south west France, with many British, Irish and Dutch holidaymakers renting gites in the area. Very easy to get to by car via the southern English sea ports, Poitou Charentes is approximately 6 and 4 hours drive from Calais and St Malo respectively. Poitou-Charentes is a verdant oasis of woodlands, vineyards and quiet leisure lakes. Historic villages dot the landscape, some dating back to medieval times. An abundance of Châteaux and 13th century churches keep watch over the ancient towns and villages of the area and a visit to each one, will reveal some awe inspiring scenes and provide the most wonderful photo opportunities. Old buildings, cobbled streets and cafés come together to bring you the ultimate in authentic French holiday experiences. The Poitou-Charentes region is made up of 4 separate departments; The Charente, The Charente Maritime, Deux Sevres and Vienne. In The Charente department the principal city is Angouleme. From its elevated position, this great walled city affords views of the surrounding countryside, in all directions. The old town has been wonderfully preserved and renovated and is now a charming cobbled restaurant quarter, with some interesting galleries and boutiques. A visit to Cognac, which is just under an hour away, will make an interesting day trip. The home of brandy, many famous distillers offer tours through miles of vaulted cellars. Most of the towns' inhabitants are, or have been, involved in the production or sale of brandy in one way or another and many of them will regale you with stories of their involvement in a particularly good vintage. Situated at the mouth of the Charente, the town of Rochefort is home to The Corderie Royale, a former rope making factory which has been beautifully restored and offers visitors the chance to see how rope was made throughout the centuries. Just nearby, in dry dock at present, you can see the reconstruction of the Hermione, a French sailing frigate that went to the aid of the American colonists. The top deck is nearing completion now and this painstaking restoration, which will culminate in an historic repeat voyage, is expected to be finished sometime in 2012. If you like good food, you'll love your holidays in south west France. Throughout the region you'll find many farmers' markets where local, natural produce is proudly displayed on carts and trestle tables. The markets are always a hive of activity, in which you'll find honest, great tasting fruits, vegetables, meats, bread, flowers and honeys. One of the joys of self catering holidays in south west France, is that you get to bring all this home grown goodness back to your own dining table. Combine this, with a nice glass of Bergerac or Jurançon and alfresco dining on a warm summers evening and you have found true paradise. Local foods of the region include Foie Gras and a plentiful supply of fresh sea food. They do some wonderful things with Duck accompanied by some lovely cheeses and truffles. Restaurants abound in the area, with menus to suit all tastes, from local bars to Michelin stars, it's all here. The restaurants are child friendly too, embracing the truly French ideal, that food and drink are pleasures to be shared with the whole family. Another great way to spend a day of your holiday is to get out for a picnic. There is an abundance of designated picnic areas to be found all over the south west of France, many of which are located on the banks of picturesque leisure lakes which attract families from across Europe, all year round. Many of the lakes allow permit fishing and water sports though these are usually restricted to non pollutant activities such as wind surfing, canoeing, kayaking and snorkelling. The Poitou Charentes region of South West France has lots to offer families. For the active, there is horse riding, tennis and hill walking and for those seeking a more genteel break, there are miles and miles of beautiful countryside in which to roam. For the golfing enthusiast, there are plenty of very good courses to choose from, offering the choice of 9, 18 and even 27 holes at various levels of difficulty. There are 12 courses in all. Chateau des Forges is laid out in beautiful open countryside, over 110 hectares. This undulating and quite challenging course encourages you to take your time, relax and really get into your swing. The driving range has 25 bays and there are three separate short games to play. Golf at Mazieres-en Gatine provides eighteen holes of the most beautiful Golf to be had in the area. Its recently refurbished château provides a stunning backdrop to this quite beautiful course and Le Manoir de Beauvoir, located 9km east of Poitiers at Mignaloux, is very pretty. Set in the wooded grounds of an hotel by the same name, eight of the 18 holes have some sort of water feature so you'll either need to be very good, have plenty of balls or have some waders to get round this one. If golf is not for you and your idea of the perfect French holiday involves nothing more, than lounging around by a pool, getting lost in a good book while you sunbathe and sip a cool drink, then our self catering holidays in south west France will suit you perfectly. We have been renting self catering holiday gites and apartments to families, couples and groups of friends, for the last nine years and have built a reputation of which we feel justly proud. If you are considering taking your holidays in south west France this year, we have a huge range of self-catering holiday homes that sleep from 2 to 12 persons. Our holiday homes and apartments are well equipped, spacious and very well presented. They will appeal to anyone looking to take a well earned break in truly beautiful surroundings, well away from the hustle and bustle of mass tourism and without the restrictions of hotels. With no dress code, no set menus and no timetables, you are free to enjoy your holidays in south west France, exactly as you choose. All our accommodations feature televisions (most with English satellite TV) and all are equipped with well appointed kitchens with dishwashers, microwaves and washing machines and all bed linens and hand towels are provided. Holidays in South West France - click here to browse our gites, cottages and farmhouses