Experience Cognac

Our favourite places, shared with you

Discover beautiful Charente

We genuinely love where we live. Since moving to the Charente, we’ve spent our time exploring the area as much as possible — walking through villages, trying local restaurants, visiting distilleries, paddling along the river and discovering hidden corners of the Charente. We’re naturally curious and a bit adventurous, so we’ve done a lot of “field research” — all so we can share our favourite places and personal recommendations with you.

Thanks to this, we can help you create a holiday that suits you — whether you’re looking for active adventures or slower, relaxing moments, there’s so much to experience here: riding electric scooters through vineyards, kayaking on the Charente river or ziplining in the tree tops; visiting historic châteaux, tasting Cognac at local distilleries or enjoying Michelin-star dining.

Below you’ll find a selection of guides and ideas based on what we’ve personally enjoyed most in the area — the places we recommend to friends and family when they visit. We hope they inspire you to discover this wonderful area in the same authentic way we did.

Villages of Stones and Vines
Scattered around Cognac, the “villages de pierre et de vignes” are some of the Charente’s [...]
Categories: Slow tourism
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Nature walks in Charente
Blue lakes, Woodland trails and riverside paths: Charente is a dream destination for walkers who [...]
Categories: Slow tourism
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Circuit des Remparts – Angoulême
Held over three days, the Circuit des Remparts is one of the most iconic celebrations [...]
Categories: Unmissable events
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Small Cognac producers
Small independent Cognac producers - 'Bouilleurs de cru' Local producers are proud to welcome visitors [...]
Categories: Cognac
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Welcome “Chez Nous”

Living the Charente life

Nigel is Anglo-Mauritian and Valérie is French, originally from the Loire Valley. In 2021, we moved from the UK to the Charente with our two sons — and quickly fell in love with the countryside, the old stone buildings, the iconic Cognac arches, the history and, most of all, the people. It didn’t take long to feel at home here.

Since then, we’ve been happily exploring everything the region has to offer — distillery visits, hands-on workshops, scenic walks, family-friendly activities, local markets, Michelin-starred restaurants, rooftop bars and lively music festivals. We love sharing our local knowledge and helping guests make the most of their stay — and yes, we’ve done plenty of “research and development” by trying it all ourselves… purely in the interest of good advice, of course!

If there’s something you’d love to do or discover, just ask — we’re always happy to help.