Charente

Gliding past angels sipping brandy.

The Charente river provides the horizontal axis of the Département that bears it's name while the near motorway standard 'Route Nationale' N10 runs from north to south. Angoulême, the principal town, stands at their junction, somewhat to the east of the county. The river is navigable by small craft and you can glide along its meandering valley from old Angoulême past hidden towns and villages. It's the sort of place where there may be a dream come true beyond every corner! As one passes the great Chateaux of the Cognac Houses in Jarnac and Cognac itself you can ponder that it is said that the angels come to drink their fill from the oaken barrels.

The river and the Charente countryside seen from Angouleme's ramparts.

Surrounded by airports.

Sadly more physical aerial travellers will need to use the N10 to reach the major regional airport at Bordeaux or otherwise go north to Poitiers. La Rochelle is accessible from the west of the county and both Bergerac and Limoges are convenient from the south and east. By road Angouléme is something over 300 miles from the Normandy ports. Much of this county is devoted to growing the grapes that will provide wine for the brandy industry. Many areas though are afforested and timber is widely harvested. Some goes to the several furniture workshops to be found.