Philip Kidd's Site

The South West region of Poitou Charentes is claimed being the second sunniest in France. Being offered here you will find a wide range of leisure and sporting activities and places of interest for the driver with everything alike. It is an area rich in history and culture and for those who enjoy their munchies, there is a superb range of local dishes and wines have fun with. It is also a great place for a golfing holiday.

The Poitou-Charentes region in South-West France has been discovered by many families who definitely are looking for a gite holiday in poitou charentes within an easy days drive of the Channel ports and with good rail and air connections.

With both La Rochelle plus the Ile-de-Re Charente Maritime is a very popular destination among both french and overseas visitors.

La Rochelle is really a lovely coastal town just east of Ile de Ré and there are plenty of gites near la rochelle, as the Atlantic coast here includes some attractive (and intensely popular) islands such as Ile de Ré (and it's major town at St-Martin-de-Ré) and Ile d'Oleron.

The classified 'beautiful villages' of Ars-en-Ré and La Flotte-en-Ré are some of the many villages on the island. The little island of Ile d'Aix, the fortified island where Napoleon stayed, can also be found just offshore.

Inland from La Rochelle the nearby towns at Marans and Surgeres likewise have some interesting features for more information on.Continuing south along the coast in Charente-Maritime, visit Royan, a popular seaside resort and 4* ville fleurie; the lovely resort and zoo at La Palmyre, somewhat north from Royan; and also Meschers-sur-Gironde.

Inland just a little are Rochefort, a 17th century grand new town around a significant naval base; the 'most beautiful village' at Talmont-sur-Gironde; this town of Saintes; and the fortifications at Brouage.

The Charente River is usually explored, as it passes through miles of rolling countryside between Angouleme and Rochefort, and is also popular with visitors wanting to start to see the landscapes of the region. For a different water based experience head north for the marshy world of the Marais Poitevin around Marans inside the north-east of Charente-Maritime.

To the north-east of Poitou-Charentes, the Deux-Sevres department is the most suitable known for the Marais-Poitevin, which falls partly in this department around Coulon.

(The Marais-Poitevin is a large region of canals and marshes, best explored on the boat hired from one from the towns here).

The town of Melle is really a lively town best known because of its ensemble of churches.Moving north throughout the department visit the medieval centre of Parthenay plus the town of Thouars, to the south-east of Saumur.