The Area

Open Air Markets (7 min. - 1 hour): Each town has its own market day you can indulge in the regional specialties, which include an array of goat cheeses, fresh water fish, snails, melons, wild mushrooms, "rillettes de Poitou" and game.

Le Grand Pressigny (7 min): Boasts a fascinating prehistorical museum in its château, which has a collection of locally found flint stone tools and weapons.

La Roche Posay (10 min): Charming and bustling spa town founded by the Romans, known for its healing waters since the fifteenth century. Eighteen and nine-hole golf courses are located there, as is a quaint "hippodrome" featuring horse races throughout the summer. La Roche Posay even offers the adventuresome a casino in a converted château! The spas have a full menu of aesthetic services, including facials, massages and mineral spring baths. The town supports al fresco markets, a full service supermarket and cinema.

Angles-Sur-L'Anglin (15 min): Has been officially named by the French tourism board as "one of the most beautiful villages in France" - a designation it richly deserves! Dominated by 15th century castle ruins and mill house, Angles is famous for its tradition of fine needlework, still carried on by local women.

Fontgombault (25 min): For those enjoying Gregorian chants, monks at the nearby twelfth century abbey chant both matins and vespers on a daily basis. The brothers also sell their handiwork, including hand thrown pottery with a glaze reminiscent of Japanese raiku.

The Berry (20 min): Home to the Parque Regionale de la Brenne, a wildlife refuge giving those interested in bird watching a wonderful opportunity to view some of the largest bird colonies in Europe. The charming riverside town of Le Blanc, with its well-preserved medievalquarter and Saturday morning fresh air market, is well worth a visit.

St. Savin (30 min): Site of a monastery founded in the 11th century, which dominated the entire Poitou region during the Hundred Years War. Its romanesque abbey church is home to twelfth century murals considered to be the best in France. Created in gentle hues of red, yellow ochre, green, black and white, the frescoes depict Old Testament history from the Creation to the Ten Commandments.

Chauvigny (40 min): Beautiful town with fabulous medieval quarter and château ruins, in which a well-known jazz series takes place every summer in a 13th century courtyard. Saturday morning’s outdoor "marché" is the largest in the region and features everything from a flower market to fresh seasonal produce, fish and charcuterie, bakers, wine merchants, clothing and even Persian carpets! During the summer months, exciting falcon show in the ruins of the old castle!