Royan:  12km from the villa

Destroyed by bombing in 1945 and rebuilt during the 50’s: a bustling modern resort.     
Places of interest :
•    Notre Dame church and its astounding architecture.                               
•    The Royan covered market hall, a lively spot all year round, the market is held everyday, the Sunday market is worth a visit.
•    Take a walk along the sea-front: restaurants, shops and cafés, also lively at night ! (excellent ice-creams !!)
•    Les Jardins du Monde (lots of activities for the young and young at heart : treasure hunts, bamboo maze, water games, meet live butterflies in a glasshouse, etc)
•    The remarkable 18 hole golf course, situated in the pine forest (23 km from our villa)

•    For gamblers : the casino on Royan-Pontaillac beach.
•    What about tandem skydiving? Discover the thrill of a free fall at Royan Médis ! [Site internet]

•    Take a walk in the evening along Pontaillac waterfront and enjoy the sound and light show.
•    Nigtclubs, near Royan, in Saint-Palais or Vaux-sur-Mer.

More info:  [Site internet]

•    Meschers-sur-Gironde : grottes de Régulus, de Matata ( caves dug into the limestone cliffs)    
•    Mornac, a pretty medieval village with whitewashed houses, narrow streets and a harbour - lots of arts and crafts, art galleries and other shops. A salt marsh can be visited.
•    Talmont-sur-Gironde, a fortified pretty town overlooking the Gironde estuary.Take a stroll in the alleys lined with multicoloured hollyhocks, visit the 12th century church and its cemetary. Arts and crafts.

From  20 to 40km
•    Barzan: Le site du Fâ: archeological site- remains of a former Roman town and museum-guided tours in English.[Site internet]

•    Saintes, 25 km from the villa (the former capital of the Roman province)                   
* Roman heritage : the Arc de Germanicus, the amphitheatre, the archeological museum etc….
* Beautiful  Romanesque monuments (Abbaye -aux -Dames, Saint Eutrope church, Saint Pierre cathedral…)           
* Boat trips on the Charente.
* Lots of activities during the summer season (concerts…)
[Site internet]
•  La Palmyre *The zoo, [Site internet]
* Lunapark, (amusement park):  [Site internet]

* Climbing circuits: rope bridges, Tarzan jumping... etc

•    Brouage, a fortified citadel     [Site internet]

•    Rochefort
* The Royal rope-making factory    [Site internet]
* The Hermione: the reconstruction of a legendary ship [Site internet]

•    Yves marsh nature reserve, an important nesting site for ducks and small waders. There are two observatories for birdwatching.
•    Pons : a medieval town, on the road of Santiago de Compostela: l'Hôpital des Pèlerins (inscibed on Unesco’s World Heritage List). [Site internet]

•    Saint Césaire : le Paléosite, an interactive center for prehistory, both ludic and didactic [Site internet]