Closer to home (within 1 hour)
Futuroscope
A different kind of leisure park experience, set in 60 hectares of tranquil green countryside with 25 original attractions you will not find elsewhere. From 3D rides with 4D effects, live shows, thrill rides, open air activities, nightly firework show and much more … guaranteed fun for all ages.
La Vallée des Singes (Valley of the Monkeys)
A unique place in France. Discover over 400 primates, 30 species, in a very natural setting. Superb way to spend your day observing man’s closest relative, in many cases up close and personal! Do not miss out on the gorilla feeding. (So good we go yearly)
La Cité médiévale de Chauvigny
Spend a morning wandering around the town or enjoy a unique experience on the Velo-rail. Then take a stroll up to the Medieval City which houses many craft shops, restaurants and local artisans. In the ruins of the Bishops’ Chateau you will find an outstanding bird of prey show – Les Geants Du Ciel.
Poitiers
The regions’ capital where you can explore 2,000 years of history – from the Celtic Pictones tribe, who created the first settlement and provided the city with its name, to the 21st century Futuroscope mentioned above, whose amazing 3D animations and cyber adventures attract 2 million visitors each year.
Angoulême
The old town has a charming medieval atmosphere with narrow cobbled streets. The city is known for its painted walls and murals of cartoon characters and comics are dotted all around the city. There are plenty of bars, restaurants and artisan shops. Perfect place to spend a sunny (or rainy) afternoon!
Notable towns within 1 hour
Verteuil Sur Charente - pretty town with a Chateau on the river and some lovely restaurants. You can kayak/canoe along the river here from Ruffec. We would say a must visit. https://canoeruffec.fr/en/
Nanteuil-en-Vallee - pretty town with lovely gardens to wander around, good choice of restaurants.
Civray - bigger town with a choice of restaurants, some great walks near the lake, kayak/canoe hire, fishing and children's playground
Vivonne - picturesque canoe/kayaking and host to a lovely local market each Saturday during the summer. https://vivonne.canoe86.org
Melle - lovely small town, good choice of bars/cafes and a large brocante on the weekends during the summer.
Charroux - home to a medieval market hall and 11th century lantern tower – a survivor from the Abbaye Saint Sauveur.
A little further afield (1 - 2 hours)
Moncontour Active Park
Lots of activities around a 10 hectare lake including water skiing, bathing, playground, beach volleyball, tennis, a skate park and fishing.
Cognac
This bustling riverside town remains world famous for one of the regions most celebrated exports – Brandy. The big Cognac houses offer guided tours, but the town which is set on the Charente river banks is also well worth exploring. Approx 1 hour drive.
Marais Poitevin
Discover the tranquillity of the region’s Green Venice. The park covers 32,000 hectares of wetlands and 65,500 hectares of drained marsh. Tours including trips in the traditional flat bottomed boat can be picked up from various points and you will be guided through the labyrinth of ‘conches’ ‘fosses’ and ‘rigoles’. Approx 1hr15 mins drive. You can also hire a boat without a guide which makes for an entertaining afternoon!
La Rochelle
Visit the old port, fort and the famous Aquarium then have a delicious lunch in one of the many seafood restaurants. It is an ideal spot to people watch! Approx 1hr30 mins away.
Tours / The Loire Valley
Wine region and home to dozens of impressive Chateaux such as Chenonceau, Chambord, Amboise, Villandry and many more. The Loire Valley can be reached in just over an hour with many of the larger Chateaux within a 2 hour drive, we have visited a chateau and had a fabulous lunch all in a day trip on many occasions!
This is just a sample of the many many things to do around and about. For more information you may wish to look at the following internet sites: Tourism en Vienne.
We can also recommend www.bikehiredirect.com who will deliver bikes to you here along with all safety equipment and pick them up again at the end of your holiday. The Vienne is extremely popular with cyclists, some enjoyable routes are listed here: http://www.bikehiredirect.com/...
For those of you driving in France for the first time or even for those used to driving over here, it may be worth your while having a look at www.drive-france.com.