Poitou-Charentes

French Property Shop - Property in Poitou Charentes

Home Buyers Guide to Property for Sale in Poitou Charentes

The French Property Shop lists thousands of properties for sale around France with many in the Charente region.

Charente property – a regional guide containing useful information when buying houses in the Charente – France.

Access to Poitou Charentes

Poitiers from Stansted & Birmingham with Ryanair

Angouleme from London Stansted with Ryanair

La Rochelle - from Dublin and London Stansted with Ryanair- from Glasgow, Manchester, Birmingham and Southampton with Flybe - from Bristol and Gatwick with easyjet

TGV from Paris to Tours, Poitiers, Angouleme. TER network.

Good access via  motorways from all Channel Ports. Barbezieux-St Malo: 5 hours * Calais-Angouleme: 7 hours * Calais-Barbezieux: 7¼ hours * Calais-Poitiers: 5¾ hours * La Rochelle-Calais: 6¾ hours 

Geography

On the Atlantic coast, between the châteaux of the Loire Valley and the Bordeaux vineyards, lies Poitou-Charentes, one of the sunniest parts of the French western coast. Its mild climate - 2,250 hours of sunshine per year - makes it desirable to visit anytime from early spring to late autumn. A 300-mile coastline with fine sandy beaches, backed by fragrant pine forests, lively resorts such as La Rochelle, Royan and the islands of Oléron, Aix and Ré provide attractions to tempt everyone.

With little industry, it is also one of the most peaceful and unpoiled ares of France and is a popular destinations for expatriates from the UK, Ireland and Holland. Inland, the scene is one of serenity, with vast horizons and wooded valleys, the Poitou fens and Marais Poitevin, the soothing tranquillity of canals, the valley of Vienne, the foothills of Charente and the world-famous Cognac vineyards.

Places of Interest

Angoulême :     A Roman Town set on a hill-top boasting an annual "Round the Ramparts" motor race. National Center for cartoons and comic strips. Fine Cathedral. Cognac        The most celebrated "eau de vie" in the world. Futuroscope (Near Poitiers) Futuristic theme park dedicated to computerized technology and robots. Niort Museum, Notre-Dame church, botanical garden. Oléron (Island) - Access by 2 mile- long viaduct, château Boyardille, military port established by Napoléon. Saintes Germanicus Arch 19 A.D., "Abbaye aux Dames", Mestreau Museum, Fine Art Museum, St. Eutrope church and crypt. La Rochelle Major port and commercial center, "Porte de la Grosse Horloge" (clock gate), St. Sauveur Church, Tower of St. Nicholas, "Hotel de la Bourse", "Musée du Nouveau Monde" (Museum of the New World)

History

Prior to the Roman conquest in 56 BC, a Celtic tribe, known as the Pictones [or Pictavi], ruled the area.  During the Roman era, the Poitou [derived from Pictones] area, together with what is now Vandée, was absorbed into the Roman province of Aquitaine.  Roman Aquitaine, after this consolidation, embraced what are now the modern regions of Aquitaine and Poitou-Charentes.  Subsequently, in 418 AD, the Visigoths conquered the Combined Aquitaine.  They, in turn, lost it in 507 when the Franks, under Clovis I, defeated them at Vouillé.  In 732, Charles Martel routed the Muslim Saracens, at their point of furthest penetration into Western Europe, at the Battle of Poitiers.  The Counts of Poitiers, who latter also held the title of dukes of Aquitaine, ruled the area after 778. When Eleanor of Aquitaine married the future Louis VII of France, her dowry consisted of Aquitaine and other lands.  Her subsequent marriage, in 1152, gave Henry II, of England, a considerably enhanced dowry, inclusive of Aquitaine. In the earlier part of the 13th century, Philip Augstus and Louis VIII reconquered Aquitaine for France.  Alphonse, Louis IX's brother, then ruled the land as Count of Poitiers from 1241.  It was incorporated into the French crown in 1271.

The English defeated the French at the Battle of Poitiers in 1356.  The subsequent treaties of Bretigny and Calais, that were negotiated in 1360, ceded the area back to the English.  Charles V, of France, reconquered the area in 1372.  Poitou was united with the crown when the Dauphin was crowned as Charles VII.  Charles VII moved the Parliament from Paris to Poitiers in 1423.  The Parliament continued to meet there until 1436.  In 1569, the French and English fought a battle at Moncontour.  The area suffered during the Wars of Religion and the Revolutionary period Wars in the Vandée.  In 1790, the province was divided into the three départements of Deux-Sèvres, Vendée and Vienne.

Cuisine in Poitou Charentes

In Poitou-Charentes, eating is always a feast with fish from the sea and shellfish such as the renowned Marennes-Oléron oysters, also freshwater-fish: eel, trout and pike. Other mouth-watering local recipes make the most of prime meat and wild fowl, and there are fine butter and cheeses. Also popular are Cognac, the Pineau des Charentes(an aperitif of grape juice and Cognac), and the light fruity wines from Haut-Poitou, Deux-Sèvres and Charente.

Climate in Poitou Charentes

Sunshine, sunshine, sunshine- the second highest levels in France! A warm maritime climate infulenecced by the Gulf Stream with producing mild winters and hot (but infrequently sweltering) dry summers.

Average Tempature in Celsius:

Average air C

Jan      10.0

Feb        8.7

Mar      11.7

Apr      18.2

May     16.4

Jun       22.4

Jul        25.3                                    

Aug      24.6

Sept     22.0

Oct       18.4

Nov      14.0

Dec        9.8

 More Information brought to you by FPS to help in your French Property Sale and Purchase in Poitou Charentes.