BEACHES
The beaches are very
poplar with many tourists and these are listed in more detail
also lakeside
beaches
Futuroscope Theme
Park
If
your idea of a great day out is a mix of rides that make you scream plus
jaw-dropping 3D films that take you white-water rafting across the Nile, then to
the depths of the ocean and even into outer space, Futuroscope is made for you.
The theme park is the top attraction in the Poitou-Charentes and second in
France, and has an impressive 70% visitor return rate.
60-hectare park with
landscaped gardens and fountains, has a number of futuristic-looking pavilions
which house the films and rides.
Futuroscope also has plenty of thrilling
rides including those that will have you swooping through outer space or zooming
through the streets of a French village. The most popular ride is ‘la Vienne
Dynamique’ (Dynamic Vienne) - strapped into a seat that moves, viewers join a
bridegroom as he races to his wedding, flying through the air and careering
through narrow streets. As he zips around corners, so do you. It even has
sensory effects!Another must is (Danse avec les Robots’ (Dances with Robots) a
ride in which you are strapped into a seat on the end of a long mechanical
arm For an experience that’s both fun and thought-provoking head for ‘Les
yeux Grands Fermés (Journey into the Dark). Led by a blind person, you plunge
into darkness, only able to rely on your sense of touch, smell and hearing to
guide you.
Futuroscope has a fantastic new ride - in 4D so you both see and
feel the whole experience
Various places to eat, something for all tastes and
budgets - or take your own picnic.
In the evening, the park puts on a
fantastic show (included in the ticket price) that centres around its lake and
fountains. The show includes an extravaganza of lights, music, laser special
effects and fireworks.
The Aquarium at La Rochelle
It is
fantastic for families as there is something for everyone and for children of
all ages. The aquarium is considered to be one of the best in Europe and
aims to be a place of conservation and learning.
The start of your visit to
the aquarium in La Rochelle is to step inside what appears to be a
submarine, but isactually a lift, and you are whooshed down to the depths of the
aquarium proper. Upon exiting the lift you're surrounded by a tunnel of water
with jellyfish floating around you.
The aquarium at La Rochelle boasts an
impressive 12,000 marine animals, with 70 different aquaria within the complex -
that means an amazing 3 million litres of sea water!
Spread over three
floors, the aquarium is arranged according to habitats - the Atlantic ocean,
Mediterranean, Oceanic, Caribbean and Indian Pacific. Across them all, you can
expect to see everything from octopus to sardines and string rays, barracudas to
colourful parrot and clown fish.
The sharks are housed in a huge tank set in
the centre of the aquarium. It extends through all three floors, allowing you to
see the creatures from many different angles in great detail.
The last
exhibit is the tropical greenhouse with its waterfall and abundant plant life.
Snapping turtles wander across paths so watch where you are walking!
The
cafe/restaurant offers views of La Rochelle and a terrace to sit outside in the
sunshine.
Opening times:
The aquarium at La Rochelle is open every
day including weekends and public holidays.
April-June and September:
9am-8pm, July and August: 9am-11pm, October -
March: 10am-8pm
La Palmyre zoo near Royan
The zoo at
La Palmyre near Royan is one of the most-visited attractions in Poitou-Charentes
- it is the most popular private zoo in France.
The zoo keeps a wide range of
animals, from flamingos, monkeys, cheetahs, hippos and elephants to snow
leopards, pandas, penguins, polar bears, ostriches, oythons and sea lions. The
endangered animals on show include the Scimitar Oryx, with its impressive horns,
and the White Rhinoceros, the zoo is helping to save these animals by a
breeding programme
The zoo has 16 hectares (40 acres) which offers home to
1,600 species, ranging from the tiny to the large. A great day out for the
family.
One of the newer attractions is the Great Ape space which took
two-and-a-half years to build. This enclosure includes four green islands which
allow the apes to enjoy the sunshine outside in nice weather. It houses 17
animals, orangutans, chimpanzees and gorillas. On top of the regular attractions
such as the apes, big cats, birds and reptiles, there are also shows featuring
sea lions in the summers months, plus parrot and cockatoo shows.
Opening
times:
La Palmyre Zoo is open all year From 9am-7pm from 1 April to 30
September, 9am-6pm the rest of the year.
Les Antilles at
Jonzac - indoor water park in the
Charente-Maritime
This huge indoor aquatic centre at Jonzac is one of the
largest of its type in Europe, offering not only all-year-round swimming but
slides, water toboggans, indoor beaches, beauty and fitness centres, tropical
surroundings and great eating too.
It’s a great place to splash out and
enjoy yourselves irrespective of what the weather is like outside!
The site
covers a hectare, and the centrepiece of the site is the main lagoon.
There are beaches, palm trees, a tropical glasshouse, a toboggan slide and even
real waves and of course lots of lovely warm, blue water! For the more serious
swimmers there's also a 25-metre sports pool, plus games and events for kids and
teenagers.
Another big attraction at the water park is the fitness and health
centre which is a great place to pamper and take care of your body. Here there
are not just Turkish and Roman baths, sauna, individual jacuzzis and a solarium,
but also baths where you can be massaged by jets of water or swim against the
current in turquoise waters at a balmy 31C. If you're feeling more energetic
there's also a fully-equipped fitness area.
A third key element of Les
Antilles aquatic park is the beauty area with a variety of beauty care and spa
services, from wax and skin treatments to specialist face, feet and hand care.
Weight-losing and fitness programmes are also available.
The water park also
offers plenty of choice when it comes to eating, with a terrace that overlooks
all the pools.
Opening Times
Open throughout the year
Zoodyssée - zoo and animal
park in the forêt de Chizé in the Deux-Sèvres
Zoodyssee is a popular 25-hectare nature park set in
beautiful countryside amid the forest of Chizé. The wildlife park, which homes
approximately 500 animals from 60 different European species, puts a lot of
effort into protecting endangered species and promoting biodiversity, it has
receveived an award for its environmental actions, from sorting rubbish to the
way it handles water and saves energy.
The main attractions of Zoodyssée are
its own animals which vary from foxes, wolves and bison, to ibex, wild boar,
badgers, vultures, porcupine, lynx, the Konik horse from Poland and many
more.
Guided tour available at an extra cost. You can hire binoculars
which can be handy as some enclosures are large and not particularly easy to see
some animals. Also pushchairs for hire. The
park also has a mini-farm, a games area and an interactive course called
Humanimal
Restaurant
Opening times:
February and March: 1pm to
6pm, April: 10am to 6pm, May to August: 10am to
7pm, 1 September to 13 September: 10am to 6pm
14 September to 30
November: 1pm to 6pm
Marais Poitevin
- Venise verte. "Green Venice" covers much of the sea-level flat land
inland from the coast, mostly in Deux Sèvres and Charente maritime. It is an
area of slow moving rivers and channels, woods and fields.
This stunningly
beautiful part of the Poitou-Charentes has an ecosystem all of its own, and its
marshes and waterways are best seen by boat. The traditional boats in this part
of the world are flat-bottomed punt-like craft which can be hired from various
places throughout the Marais - look out for the word embarcadère, which means
wharf. Boats and canoes can be hired for just an hour or two, or a half or whole
day.
Boating and kayaking, angling, rambling and riding are among popular
activities here. There is a good network of marked cycle tracks. There are
numerous places (Maillezais is one of the best) where small rowing boats can be
hired (with or without guides). Maps are provided and you can navigate round
canal systems to set routes. The canals range from 20m wide to narrow stretches
barely wide enough for the boat. All the canals are completely covered with a
very distinctive weed giving them the appearance of flat green land, hence the
'Venise Vert' name. At Maillezais there is also a restaurant, souvenir shop and
crazy golf course. A fun day out, though beware, boat hire is more expensive
than you would expect.
La Rochelle - the three 14th and 15th
century medieval towers dominate the port area of La Rochelle in the
Charente-Maritime. La Rochelle is France's 2nd largest boat building port
and the historic Vieux Port remains largely unchanged. A daily fish market can
be found in the old town until 12:00 midday. The port is very attractive and
waterside cafés and restaurants offer a relaxing break. The seafood platters are
their speciality and are excellent especially for large groups, where a single
huge dish of shellfish is produced. The new marina holds Europe's largest
aquarium which is open 365 days a year and has a large selection of fish from
highly coloured tropical types to eels and sharks. La Rochelle has a beach and
some wonderful parks to explore. A very popular day out.
Royan - thousands of French people
enjoy a traditional beach-based summer holiday, making the most of some fine
sandy beaches and a seemingly endless parade of waterside fish
restaurants. Palmyre Zoo and Jardins du Monde offers a discovery of garden
styles from round the world, plus a butterfly house.
Ile de Re
- is a quiet
island off La Rochelle, a new road bridge makes it accessible by car. It is
picturesque and has numerous beaches, cafés, towns and parks. The cost for the
toll bridge is approximately £10 but is free if you cycle or walk out to the
island. There is also a very good value golf course on the island. Well
worth a visit!
Ile de Oleron-
a popular offshore
island which is accessible via road bridge.
Cognac - visit one of the big
names cognac houses in and around the town of Cognac in the Charente. Well worth
a visit for the connoisseur. In the centre of the town the best tour is that of
the Otard distilleries, where cognac has been made for hundreds of years. A
sample session follows the tour, but drivers beware, new laws on drink driving
are more strict than UK.
Poitiers is an old hill-town with an
attractive old centre. The city is most famous for its ancient churches,
including the St. John's Baptistry, reputedly the oldest place of Christian
worship in France, and the Notre-Dame la Grande church, one of the most famous
and distinctive romanesque churches in France.
Bordeaux - a lovely city well worth
exploring, just South of the department.
Pescalis -The largest fishing-orientated
centre in Europe, Pescalis near Moncoutant in the North of Deux-Sèvres, has over
100 hectares of lakes with a variety of specialist sites, including night
fishing. The complex is not just for anglers, there is an aquarium, parks,
horseriding and other activities. A place for all the family to
visit. Pescalis is located in Moncoutant, Deux
Sèvres.
Other attractions/places of
interest
The beautiful, wooded Saintonge area of the department is full of
history, and an important centre of Romanesque architecture. Scores of fine old
churches can be found here, along the many walks and cycle trails that
criss-cross the department.
Throughout the department, meanwhile, there
are numerous nature reserves, bird watching sites and a Forest Museum which
offers guided tours of the area’s wildlife attractions. Lucky visitors may just
get a glimpse of the rare and elusive common genet, a cat-like mammal that has
made a comeback in the area.
L’Hermione: the
replica, being built in Rochefort in the Charente-Maritime, of the famous ship
that took the Marquis de La Fayette to America in 1780 to fight in the War of
Independence against the British. This year – 2011 – is the last you can see it
in dry dock before it takes to the sea.
Le Vigeant: in the
Vienne, near L’Isle Jourdain, the racing circuit of 2.341 mile (3.768km) track
that regularly hosts major race events.
Phare des Baleines: a
working lighthouse on Ile de Ré, its 257-step spiral staircase leading to
stunning views.
Phare de Chassiron: on Île d'Oléron, its
distinctive white and black-striped lighthouse offers impressive views of the
Atlantic coast.
Centre International de la Mer: at the Corderie
Royale (the Royal ropeworks) in Rochefort in the Charente-Maritime, houses both
permanent and temporary exhibitions on the sea and seafaring.
The P'tit
Train de Saint-Trojan-les-Bains: on Ile d'Oléron in the
Charente-Maritime, it combines railway history, tourism and environmental
awareness all in one little railway track.
Cité de l'écrit: the
town of Montmorillon in the Vienne, whose medieval centre is known as the City
of Writing and Bookmaking or the Village of the Written Word. Here the town
comes alive to the sights, sounds and smells of the book and writing
trade.
Les Jardins du Monde: the 7.5 hectare (18.5 acre) park
in the Marais de Pousseau area of marshland near Royan in the Charente-Maritime,
with plants as well as electric boats you can navigate through the waterways and
a butterfly house.
Château de la Gataudière: near the coast at
Marennes in the Charente-Maritime, have fun on the dirt (scramble) and quad bike
circuit, the paintball and laser tag area and a treetop adventure obstacle
course.
Lilleau des Niges nature reserve: on Ile de Ré in the
Charente-Maritime where 310 species of bird have been seen.
Halles aux
Vivres: museum in the Brouage citadel, not far from Rochefort in the
Charente-Maritime, that covers the history of the Brouage citadel, as well as
military history with temporary exhibitions about the area, its history and
culture.
Planète des Crocodiles: at Civaux in the Vienne has a
collection of around 200 reptiles from eight different species of crocodile and
alligator.
Paléosite: a 10-hectare park at Saint-Césaire in the
Charente-Maritime, situated at the site of the 1979 archaeological dig and which
now takes look at Neanderthal (and Homo Sapiens) life.
The Abbey of Saint-Savin sur-Gartempe: in
the town of the same name in the Vienne, the abbey famed for its 11th century
paintings that have made it a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Roman
amphitheatre: at Saintes in the Charente-Maritime, it is one of the
oldest and largest in existence in France and dates back to 40AD.
Le
Parc de l'estuaire: nature park in Europe's largest estuary near
Saint-Georges-de-Didonne, south of Royan in the
Charente-Maritime.
Espace Mendès France: in Poitiers, a centre
designed to popularise the worlds of science and technology with permanent and
temporary exhibitions and a planetarium.
CIBDI: the comic strip
museum in Angoulême in the Charente that’s the Louvre for comics, with a
collection of more than 8,000 original drawings and over 110,000 magazines and
comic books.
Angoulême museum: formerly the Musée des
Beaux-Arts with collections of African and Oceanic art and the history of the
Charente, from geological times, through prehistoric humans to the Middle
Ages.
The Château des Énigmes: at Pons in the
Charente-Maritime, a this Renaissance château where adults and children solve
the final mystery of the château through a series of 21 games.
Underground church at Aubeterre-sur-Dronne: in the Charente
village officially designated one of the most beautiful in France, this church
was carved out of cliff face back in the 12th century.
Maritime Museum,
la Rochelle: in the pretty Charente-Maritime town, its exhibits are housed
on three ships, each of which is classed as an historic monument.
Grottes de Regulus: in the town of Meschers-sur-Gironde in the
Charente-maritime, walk through the seafront caves of the prehistoric
troglodytes.
Le Marais aux Oiseaux: on Île d'Oléron, a nature
park with 60 species of wild, domesticated and caged birds.
Archaeological museum: by the Roman Arc of Germanicus in
Saintes in the Charente-Maritime the museum its collection includes grand
statues, sculpture and mosaics to more common objects from Roman
times.
Abbaye aux Dames: in Saintes in the Charente-Maritime, a
former Benedictine abbey.
Pôle-Nature de Vitrezay: a nature reserve
on the largest wild estuary in Europe, in the Charente-Maritime.
L'île
aux Serpents: at La Trimouille in the Vienne see more than 50 species of
reptile.
Château de la Roche Courbon: in the Charente-Maritime,
it’s known as Sleeping Beauty's Castle.
Maison Pierre Loti: the
flamboyant home of romance write Pierre Loti in Rochefort in the
Charente-Maritime.
Maritime Museum, Rochefort in this elegant
Charente-Maritime town, see models boats as well as other naval
memorabilia.
Musée des Commerces d'autrefois: in Rochefort in
the Charente-Maritime, see 20 superb replicas of shops from the turn of the last
century.
Abbaye de Bassac: a Benedictine Abbey in the
Charente.
Château de la Rochefoucauld: an original 11th century
square keep flanked by Renaissance towers, in la Rochefoucauld in the Charente.
Les Géants du Ciel: in the hillside old town of Chauvigny in
the Deux-Sèvres, see displays of falconry.
Maison du Marais
Poitevin: in Coulon in the Deux-Sèvres, exhibitions and displays about
the flora and fauna, traditional architecture and way of life of the Marais
people.
View
Holiday Homes in Poitou-Charentes
Poitou-Charentes Attractions
The top attraction
in the Poitou-Charentes is the theme park Futuroscope but there is also a huge
variety of things to see and do - from animal parks and zoos to cognac tours,
Roman remains, nature reserves, unusual and fascinating museums and historic
sites that really tell of this area’s turbulent past. So, if you’re looking for
a great day out you will be spoilt for choice. We mention some of the popular
theme parks, animal parks and attractions, we also list a number of natural
parks and attractions plus museums and historical sites of interest.
The neighbouring region of the Vendee has a lot of attractions to offer
which are easily doable as a day trip, these include the highly recommended
theme park Puy du Fou amongst others. More information on this area and
attractions in this area available on the Vendee Information.
And just south
of the department is the major city of Bordeaux which is well worth a visit - as
are the surrounding vineyards that produce some of the world’s best and
best-known wines. More information on the vineyards in South West France
information.
