Visit Charente

On the right bank stands the quarter of St-Jacques with its shops, its open air market and mooring facilities for river boats. On the left bank, history has left its mark in the old cobbled streets. Pass through the old gates to the town before exploring the 12th century church of St-Léger with its splendid rose window, the Récollets convent and the Lieutenance, a fine half-timbered town house. The walls of the town appear to be covered with black velvet... The white stone is blackened by the evaporating alcohol, called the angels' share. Not to be missed: the Château des Valois, of which the oldest parts date from the 13th century, is the headquarters of a major cognac house. You can visit the salle du Casque (Helmet), the Count John tower and the great vaulted salle des Gardes (Guards)...
Other places, other emotions, the Espace Découverte and the Museum of the Arts of cognac propose an interactive poetic discovery trail. Here you will learn about the Charente, its river and countryside of vineyards. Exhibitions of old tools, collections of posters, film interviews... you will learn all about the history of cognac, the knowhow and the generations of men who have been participating in its production and its alchemy.