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Charente-Maritime boasts the second longest hours of annual sunlight after the Cote d'Azur, in France and the west coast beaches are glorious, offering the calmest family bathing spots to the fiercest surf. The area benefits from a wonderful climate from March through to October. The country side is beautiful with Royan, Cognac and Saintes a mere 20 - 30 minute drive away. Further afield is La Rochelle and surrounding islands, also Bordeaux and Anglouleme, both interesting and multicultural cities, not forgetting St Emilion, home to 92 chateaux du vin, standing on the top of a hill overlooking the Dordogne valley.

Should you be interested to take a wine tour to the chateaux in the Medoc on one of your days holiday, then please do let us know and we will arrange the visit for you.

Our more energetic guests have assured us that the area is good for cycling and we have plenty of space to store bikes at the rear of the property.

	There are so many lovely places in the Charente-Maritime Region, so whether you are looking for beaches, history, shops or just somewhere to relax then take a look at some of the places listed here to whet your appetite. We believe you will choose to return to the area time and again to explore further. We are still finding new places to visit. Whichever direction you take from La Maison du Puits you will be driving through fields of sunflowers, fields with vines and there are so many birds of prey perching on the trees and vines along the way.

Further afield there is Bordeaux, St Emilion, Angouleme, La Rochelle, the Ile de Re, Ile D'Oleron, Ile d'Aix, all lovely places with plenty to see, do and eat.

Beaches

By following the coast road from Meschers towards Royan, through St Georges de Didonne, there are many signposts saying "Les Plages" where you will find several sandy coves. Past Royan is St Palais sur Mer, La Palymyre and La Tramblade which all have calm sandy, safe beaches. If you prefer to surf, then head for the beaches on the Cote Sauvage reached through the Foret de la Coubre along the coast between the Pointe de la Coubre and La Tremblade, the waves are great and not for the fainthearted.


Pontaillac near Royan		St Georges de Didonne

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Information about other places worth a visit can be found by clicking on the name.

JONZAC, GEMOZAC, PONS, SAINTES, ROYAN, TALMONT, MORTAGNE, MESCHERS and COGNAC.

Jonzac Capital of the Haute-Saintonge, the charming little town of Jonzac has an abundance of leisure facilities. The XVc chateau is a listed historical building. During July and August the tourist office runs free guided tours, in English, on Wednesdays at 4pm. The river Seugne meanders though the town and provides a pleasant area for cycling and walking. The Antilles de Jonzac, an aqua playground complex open all the year with a 60 metre water slide, tropical lagoon large wave pool and Caribbean beach huts. The tourist office is next to the Chateau Market Days are Tues/Fri/Sat
		Gemozac Gemozac has a Supermarket 5 mins drive from La Maison du Puits and in the town you will find several bakers, a butchers, pharmacie, tabac and post office. Market day is Friday and every 3rd Friday the stalls reach all through the town. There is a restaurant 150 metres from us one in the town, a pizza restaurant and a thai restaurant. The bread van visits our house every day except Sunday between 9:30 and 11am. The swimming pool is open during July and August. There are many chateaux open to the public where you can see the process of how the local pineau is made. Gemozac also has a race course hidden behind one the grand houses in the town, an afternoon at the races is very entertaining and they take place during July and August.
Pons Pons is a medieval city built on a rock and the Hotel de Ville pictured here is at the top of the town. There is also a Donjon situated here, next to the Tourist Agency. The views over the River Seugne and beyond are amazing. Well worth a visit. You can enjoy also enjoy a meal or snack in one of the restaurants which you will find in the square near the Hotel de Ville. The Chateau des Enigmes is an adventure place and great fun for children who are given a treasure map and clues to find the treasure.
Top of Page		Saintes Situated on the River Charente, Saintes dates back over two thousand years and was once the capital of one of the tribes of Gaul, the Santons and of the Roman province of Aquitaine, with the name Mediolanum Santonum. Places to see here are the Roman Amphitheatre, the Arc de Germanicus, Cathedral Sainte-Pierre, Abbey aux Dames the Eglise Saint-Eutrope and several museums. Aside from the historic side to Saintes there are lots of interesting shops to look at or take a trip on the river and watch the world go by, or sit in a restaurant or creperie and just relax. During the summer months several spectacles take place in the Amphitheatre - fantastic! Every day except Monday is market day in Saintes and they are all different. However, on the 1st Monday of every month there is a grand fair which lasts all day.
Royan La Grande Conche is the main sandy beach which stretches all the way along the coast road into Royan centre and is alive all day and remains so throughout the evenings with street entertainers. In the summer there are wonderful free concerts and fantastic firework displays. Every kind of restaurant can be found in Royan, explore the port area where you can sit and watch the boats. Trips are available to the Phare de Cordouan (lighthouse) and across the Gironde Estuary to the Pointe de Grave in the Medoc with all the wonderful wine producing chateaux. Just north of Royan is La Palmyre with the largest zoo in France the most visited attraction in the region. Marennes home of the oyster beds can be reached from La Tremblade and further still the Ile d'Oleron which is reached via a 3km toll free bridge - great surfing beaches.
Talmont Talmont is a tiny peninsular on the Gironde with a beautiful Romanesque church. The streets are very narrow with typically Charentais houses, lots of hollyhocks and 82 inhabitants. Many interesting shops to browse in, creperies for a pause and also a good resturant, l'Auberge le Promontoire Top of Page		Mortagne Mortagne has a pretty fishing port with bars, cafes and restaurants lining the harbour. Up the hill away from the harbour you will find the village with several shops to browse around.. Market Day is Thursday and Sundays in the season
Meschers Meschers is also a pretty harbour with lots of boats several cafes and restaurants to enjoy a meal whilst watching the activity. You can take a boat trip from here to the Phare de Cordouan - a lighthouse, or a cruise with views of the Estuary.
		Cognac Cognac is famous for the production of the brandy which bears its name. Numerous prestigious cognac "Maisons" open their doors to the public for guided tours and a visit to the spirit warehouses (or "chais"), where the cognac is aged in casks. A visit to Cognac should include the splendours of the Parc du Francois I and a boat trip along the river Charente followed by a leisurely lunch at a cafe close to the fountain in the town. The tourist agency has a large amount of useful literature about the town.