Visit Charente

Mansle (km 0)

Plant of beauty

Mansle is a small country town on the banks of the Charente.
Water flows idly past. Its emblem is a plant of beauty, the fuchsia. More than 500 varieties, with their pinks and purples, thrive in the acclimatization park in the Bois du Signe. The water irises and paludous plants (heads in the sun, toes in the water) also do well.
Info : +33 5 45 22 20 43 or +33 5 45 20 39 91

Places to visit : the church of St Leger, one of the rare examples of a Gothic portal in the Charente, for the quality of its embellished capitals.

Things to do : the Saturday morning farm market.

Saint-Groux (km 3)

A poacher village

Saint-Groux is built in a meander of the river on a large peninsula, a lush green setting where the alder branches gently sway.
The fishery, set where the stream flows between the islands, is a 1000 m² natural creel which used to provide fish as needed. Visit the fishery cottage, the fishery and the orchard.
Info : +33 5 45 68 13 75

Cellettes (km 8)

The domain d'Echoisy

Lying close to the village of Cellettes, the domain d'Echoisy now belongs to the commune. Agricultural and industrial activities of the past are reproduced : from the water mill on the Charente, which produces the fine stone-ground flour, to the lime kilns (in 1914, almost 8000 tons of lime were produced) and the fisheries, the vegetable garden and the bread oven.
Vegetables, flour and bread are on sale.
Info : +33 5 45 20 30 42

Aigre (km 22)

Water fields and water of life

The town of Aigre is built on former marshland, surrounded by the Osme and its numerous waterways, and lies close to the peat fields of Oradour (the peat was once shaped into bricks, dried in the sun and used as fuel).
Footbridges span the river from the banks to small gardens.
In the 18th century the town was also a storehouse for eaux-de-vie from Cognac before being shipped to La Rochelle or Paris. The oldest cognac house, Gautier cognacs, is still located in Aigre.

Things to do : the annual fair and show takes place in early May and the market is held on Thursday, Tuesday and Sunday mornings.

Lanville (km 27)

The church of Notre-Dame and the priory

On the road from Aigre in the heart of the village of Lanville, surrounded by the fields, stands the church of Notre-Dame (12th century). It is a former fortified abbey church. A staging point on the way to Compostelle, it is looked after with care by a small religious community.

Things to see : the magnificent dimensions of the vaulted concave half dome apse, the capitals decorated with foliage and animals.

La Chapelle, Vouharte, Bignac (km 32)

Villages by the river

From La Chapelle to Montignac, the Charente meanders through the countryside. Islands await, peninsulas are formed. The vegetation is abundant and lush, small paths run beside the river delightful ! (after La Chapelle, pass by the Pontour, la Touche, le Breuil, le Tapis)

Montignac (km 45)

The medieval city

On a hillock overlooking the river stand the remains of the keep of the Taillefer fortress. Guillaume de Taillefer, a person of noble descent, made it his residence. The step streets wind through the village.

Things to see : the fortified gate and the portcullis frame (13th century), the keep (12th century)

Bathing : the Charente is a river where bathing is possible A good idea to test at the Portal.

Saint-Amant-de-Boixe (km 46)

The abbey church at Saint-Amant-de-Boixe (12th 15th centuries) is the second largest in the Charente after the cathedral in Angoulême.
It has often been reworked (the construction periods can be determined at a glance) and is a fine example of the confrontation between Romanesque and Gothic architecture.
Inside, the chancel at the end of the long nave is set askew. It is worth the visit to see the monumental Romanesque facade decorated with geometric patterns, the abundant sculpted decoration of the capitals with leaves, the foliated scrolls, the cupola with pendentive at the transept crossing.

Visit nearby : the remains of the cloister and the abbey buildings.
Heritage Centre : +33 5 45 94 24 26

Forêt de la Boixe (km 51)

Tumulus and fairy stone

Ever since earliest times, man has found shelter in this deep forest as can be seen through the presence of dolmens (fairy stones) and tumuli.
The coppices of oak, hornbeam and beech interspersed with dry grass where orchids thrive. The forest has been classed as an area of special interest in terms of the environment, fauna and flora.
For those who have rabies or headaches, the fountain of devotion at Puymerle has been an alternative remedy for centuries.

Walking on the discovery trails : walkers can find detailed information regarding the fauna and flora as they walk.

Return to Mansle (km 61)