La Rochelle
La Rochelle is a dynamic, welcoming and lively city which will captivate you for some hours or days. The city has beautifully maintained its past architecture, making it one of the most picturesque and historically rich cities on the Atlantic coast. La Rochelle's main feature is the "Vieux Port" ("Old Harbour"), which is at the heart of the city, picturesque and lined with seafood restaurants. The city walls are open to an evening promenade. The old town has been well preserved. From the harbour, boating trips can be taken to the Île d'Aix and Fort Boyard (home to the internationally famous TV show of the same name).
Civray
Located on the banks of Charente river, Civray is an approved green holiday resort (Station Verte) that boasts an architectural gem: the Saint-Nicolas church, a 12th-century Romanesque building with a particularly remarkable carved facade. There is also large swimming pool complex with indoor and outdoor pools.
Poitiers
The town of Poitiers is centrally placed in the Poitou-Charentes region, of which it is the administrative capital. Poitiers is a town steeped in history and this has resulted in a city with a picturesque medieval centre containing numerous sites of interest.
Poitiers is a university town (the second oldest in France after Paris and the town with one of the biggest student populations) which means it has a vibrant night life and lots of cultural activities. Previous students include Descartes and Francis Bacon.
Charroux
Nestled in a small valley, not far from the Charente river, the octagonal tower in Charroux is all that is left of one of the most powerful Medieval Benedictine abbeys, which was founded at the end of the 8th C by Count Roger of Limoges under the protection of Charlemagne. The large abbey church, (11th C) has a typical Carolingian architectural style. All that remains of the monastery is the XVth C chapter house, where sculptures taken from the Gothic doorway have been collected. Charroux is also home to The Green Man, English run pub!
