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La Rochefoucauld - The quaint market town of La Rochefoucauld is just 10 minutes drive away from Le Tilleul with access to restaurants, shops, the cloisters and the beautiful  Château de La Rochefoucauld perched high above the river overlooking the town. Chateau tours are available in both French & English and a selection of period costumes, such as knights and princesses, may be available for dressing up during your visit (both for children and adults!) Also for one weekend every July, the Château hosts an incredibly popular medieval weekend in its grounds.

 

Brantome - The picturesque town of Brantome, known as the Venice of the Perigord, is about a one hour drive away just across the border in the northern Dordogne. It is surrounded on all sides by the River Dronne, with beautiful scenery, a medieval Benedictine abbey built by Charlemagne, and 11th century belfry with pavement cafes and restaurants, and a large Friday Market. In the village you can enjoy Périgord specialties, such as porcini mushrooms. It has a large park and kayaking is available on the river Dronne.

Oradour-sur-Glane

 

"Down ths road, on a summer day in 1944 ... The soldiers came. Nobody lives here now. They stayed only a few hours. When they had gone, a community which had lived for a thousand years ... was dead".

 

This is Oradour-sur-Glane, the martyr village, which on the orders of the French President, Charles de Gaulle, has been maintained as a permanent memorial. A visit to the village, frozen in time,along with its informative museum and exhibition will leave a lasting impression on you.

Angouleme - Angouleme is the capital of the Charente department with a good variety of shops, restaurants and cafes.It is home to the Comic Strip festival in January and Le Circuit des Ramparts in September when Angouleme turns into a vintage race circuit.

 The old town has lots of interest: Saint-Pierre cathedral, which dates from the 12th century with its high tower and remarkable facade carved in the  Romanesque style, a town hall with flower gardens and the ramparts offering a magnificent view across the Charente valley.

Nautilis Aqua Centre in Angouleme, for the more active, has a large Indoor/outdoor pool complex with water slides, a river, an indoor whirlpool and wave-maker, ice rink and a large recreational lake  with footpath around the perimeter and a large artificial sandy beach.

Cognac Town - Famous worldwide for its drink of the same name, the ‘spiritual’ home of the brandy industry is just a one hour drive away. Visits to the major cognac houses can be arranged or just enjoy the historic ambience of this world- famous town. Most of the major Cognac houses offer guided tours of their facilities with an opportunity to buy samples of their products at the end.

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Circuit des Remparts d'Angoulême - The International Circuit des Remparts finds its route in the city, unchanged since the first in 1939 for 3 days - 13th, 14th & 15th September 2019. This annual event is a must for fans of vintage cars. The International Circuit des Remparts turns Angoulême into a giant museum on wheels when classic cars race around the Ramparts. Official Circuit des Remparts site. 

Ancient Stone Sculpture

Gallo-Roman Parc Archéologique at Cassinomagus 

 

The nearby first century Roman settlement of Cassinomagus at Chassenon is a unique place to visit with its thermal baths and vast archeological park and gardens with the opportunity for children to dress up in costumes.

Saint-Jean de Côle

A lovely scenic village, one hours drive to Saint-Jean de Côle, across the nearby Dordogne border, classified as one of France's most beautiful villages (les plus beaux villages de France).

Perfect spot for lunch in the village square, flanked by 12th century Château de la Marthonie, timber buildings and the Romanesque Byzantine Church of Saint John the Baptist.

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