La Charente & The Local Area

Fleur au Soleil is idyllically based at the centre of the Nouvelle Aquitaine region, previously known as Poitou Charentes. With it’s hot, sunny climate and long dry summers, it is the perfect area of France to enjoy a relaxing summer holiday.

Ruffec is the closest market town to Fleur au Soleil and you can spend time at the pretty little markets held there every Wednesday and Saturday morning. Here you can get connections to Angôuleme, Poitiers and Paris by TGV to join the Eurostar at Gare du Nord although we recommend car hire to make the most of this unspoilt region.

Nearby Verteuil has a beautiful chateau at the heart of the village with the river Charente running through the centre. This picturesque French village makes a lovely day out with several restaurants and bars and access to the river via a large, shaded park. James Martin recently visited and hosted a cookery show here on his tour around France – you may remember the delicious Brioche he raved about at the Moulin de Verteuil? Canoes and Kayaks are available to hire in nearby Rejaillant and one of the routes will bring you into the village by boat, Sara and Mark are happy to book these for you during your visit.

Angôuleme is a larger town 30 minutes away where there are many shops, restaurants and museums. You can also visit the cartoon festival here plus see vintage cars racing around the ramparts.

If you long for the seaside then La Rochelle is a beautiful historic port just 2 hrs away by car and is well worth a visit. Enjoy seafood on the harbour, visit the Aquarium or hop over the bridge to the beautiful island of Ile de Ré, a hotspot for French celebrities!