Charente-Maritime: Holiday apartments and holiday homes

Charente-Maritime offers 5,000 kilometers of walking paths, while the Échappées Nature network encompasses 50,000 hectares of sensitive and exceptional natural areas. For travelers wishing to rent a holiday apartment, discovering the department begins with its landscapes and trails.

Nature

The Échappées Nature sites offer exceptional viewpoints. Workshops, unusual excursions and events take place there; there are also self-guided or guided walks, as well as activities for observing migratory birds. In Charente-Maritime, routes run along the ocean, through marshes and forests, with stops in towns and villages. The Marais poitevin can be explored on foot, by bicycle or by barge. The Route des Cardinaux offers a riding route associated with D'Artagnan.

Culture

The Musée Ernest Cognacq presents the heritage of Île de Ré through archaeological, historical, ethnographic and artistic collections, and offers cultural programs for all audiences. The museum is housed in a mansion dating from the late 15th century and is protected as a historic monument. Brouage is a fortified village in the marshes that formerly served as a salt-trading port. The Corderie Royale de Rochefort is listed as a historic monument and is associated with the manufacture of ship ropes for the royal navy. The Musée maritime de La Rochelle preserves a historic fleet of nine ships.

Getting there

La Rochelle station is served by TGV INOUI, OUIGO, INTERCITÉS and TER, and offers regional connections to Rochefort and Saintes. Direct trains connect La Rochelle and Rochefort. Charente-Maritime can be visited without a car: regional buses connect arrival stations with coastal towns. Bicycles are carried free of charge on most TER trains, subject to available capacity and applicable regional rules.

Regional traditions

The salt-marsh traditions of Île de Ré and Marennes-Oléron include hand-harvested sea salt. Oysters from Marennes-Oléron have IGP status, while Fines de Claires Vertes and Pousse en Claire have received Label Rouge awards.

Other places in the department: Arces-Sur-Gironde, Chassiron, Chaucre, Dirée, Dolus-D'oléron, Dompierre-Sur-Mer, Epargnes, Foulerot, Fouras, Grand-Village-Plage, Ile-D'aix, L'houmeau, La Brée-Les-Bains, La Couarde-Sur-Mer, La Flotte-En-Re, La Rémigeasse, La Rochelle, La Tremblade, Lagord, Le Château-Doléron, Les Mathes, Saint-Just-Luzac, Medis, Meschers-Sur-Gironde, Rivedoux-Plage, Royan, Saint-Denis-Doléron, Saint-Georges-De-Didonne, Saint-Palais-Sur-Mer, Saint-Xandre, Sainte-Soulle, Saujon, Soubise, Talmont, Trizay, Vandré, Vaux-Sur-Mer, Vert-Bois, Montendre, Montlieu-La-Garde, Saint-Martin-De-La-Coudre, Chenac-Saint-Seurin-D'uzet, Mornac-Sur-Seudre, La Natonnière, Saint-Martin-De-Ré, Ars-En-Ré, Salles-Sur-Mer, Jonzac, Rochefort, Breuillet, Saint-Trojan-Les-Bains, Saint-Fort-Sur-Gironde, Tonnay-Charente, Tonnay-Boutonne, Saintes, Puilboreau, Marennes, Marans, Le Bois-Plage-En-Ré, Cierzac, Châtelaillon-Plage, Aytré, Sainte-Marie-De-Ré, Saint-Jean-D'angély, Gémozac, Saint-Augustin, Saint-Sauvant, Saint-Mard, Asnières-La-Giraud, Blanzay-Sur-Boutonne, Sainte-Gemme, Cramchaban, Aujac, Port-Des-Barques, Villars-En-Pons, Bourcefranc-Le-Chapus, Chantemerle-Sur-La-Soie, Saint-Crépin, Salignac-Sur-Charente, Les Portes-En-Ré, Muron, Saint-Hippolyte, Périgny, Port-D'envaux, Rouffignac, Mosnac, Saint-Clément-Des-Baleines, Loix, Ozillac, Saint-Palais-De-Phiolin, Saint-Maigrin, Bernay-Saint-Martin, Etaules, Pont-L'abbé-D'arnoult, Pons, La Jarrie, Cozes, Saint-Vivien, Léoville, Chérac, Archingeay, Fontcouverte, Dompierre-Sur-Charente, Saint-Bris-Des-Bois, Berneuil, Surgères, Saint-Sornin, Mirambeau, Soubran, Matha, Rouffiac, Brie-Sous-Archiac, Saint-Hilaire-De-Villefranche, Arvert, Taugon, Boresse-Et-Martron, Villiers-Couture, Migron, Soulignonne, Nieul-Le-Virouil, Benon, Thénac, Saint-Simon-De-Pellouaille, Saint-Loup, Clavette, Jarnac-Champagne, Thézac, Saint-Aigulin, Nieulle-Sur-Seudre, Saint-Maurice-De-Tavernole, Grézac, Lorignac, Semussac, Saint-Pierre-D'oléron, Saint-Georges-D'oléron, Luchat, Crazannes, Boisredon, Réaux, Aigrefeuille-D'aunis, Cravans, Chaillevette, Échillais, Vérines, Le Gua, La Benâte, Sablonceaux, Péré, Forges, Breuil-La-Réorte, Rétaud, Les Essards, Chaunac, Annepont, Vouhé, Marsilly, La Gripperie-Saint-Symphorien, Beurlay, Paillé, Mortiers, Burie, Pisany, Chambon, Thairé, Mazeray, Saint-Léger, Saint-Genis-De-Saintonge, Aulnay, Taillebourg, Saint-André-De-Lidon, Dampierre-Sur-Boutonne, Romegoux, La Barde, Neuvicq-Le-Château, Contré, Cressé, Saint-Savinien, Rioux, Cercoux, Bougneau, Villemorin, Pessines, Landrais, Bagnizeau, Croix-Chapeau, Gourvillette, L'éguille, Boscamnant, Saint-Jean-De-Liversay, La Genétouze, Loiré-Sur-Nie, Fontaines-D'ozillac, St-Pierre De Pérignac, Sousmoulins, Néré, Cherbonnières, Charron, Ciré-D'aunis, Tanzac, Guitinières, Saint-Pierre-De-Juillers, Saint-Sulpice-De-Royan, Saint-Denis-Du-Pin, Préguillac, Saint-Dizant-Du-Gua, Nieul-Sur-Mer, Prignac, Beaugeay, Angoulins-Sur-Mer, La Clisse, Souméras, Nuaillé-Sur-Boutonne, Vergné, Tesson, Saint-Christophe, Saint-Pardoult, Geay, Chaniers, Boutenac-Touvent, Champagnac, Courpignac, Mortagne-sur-Gironde, Archiac, Courçon, Loulay, Yves, Saint-Thomas-de-Conac, La Ronde, Louzignac, Barzan, Hiers-Brouage, Courcelles, Aumagne, Saint-Coutant-le-Grand, Saint-Cyr-du-Doret, Champdolent, Saleignes, Montguyon, Siecq, Saint-Germain-de-Lusignan, Montpellier-de-Médillan, Saint-Ciers-du-Taillon, Meursac, La Jard, Villars-les-Bois, Varaize, Beauvais-sur-Matha, Sonnac, Fléac-sur-Seugne, Saint-Médard-d'Aunis, Brives-sur-Charente, Saint-Simon-de-Bordes, Saint-Sauveur-d'Aunis, Saint-Hilaire-du-Bois, Saint-Georges-du-Bois, Nantillé, Chepniers, Saint-Séverin-sur-Boutonne, Genouillé, Chadenac, Saint-Porchaire, Clérac, Saint-Ouen-d'Aunis, Chervettes, Vinax, Saint-Césaire, Haimps, Sainte-Lheurine, La Vergne, Bouhet, Saint-Laurent-de-la-Prée, Bussac-Forêt, Le Fouilloux, Sainte-Ramée, Le Gicq, Saint-Bonnet-sur-Gironde, Pouillac, Saint-Germain-de-Vibrac, Clam, Saint-Sulpice-d'Arnoult, Saint-Romain-sur-Gironde, Saint-Seurin-de-Palenne, Brie-sous-Mortagne, Allas-Bocage, Avy, Clion, Bazauges, Vervant.

To the higher-level travel overview: Poitou Charentes.