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Motorhoming in Poitou-Charentes
Motorhoming in Poitou-Charentes
The region of Poitou-Charentes in the west of France is composed of four departments; Deux Sevres, Vienne, Charente and Charente-Maritime, three of which are inland and the fourth, Charente-Maritime, as the name suggests, on the Atlantic coast.
The Charente-Maritime with its long expanse of coastline and offshore islands benefits from an extremely agreeable climate. It is the most populated of the four departments and although it doesn’t possess the biggest cities of the region, towns such as La Rochelle and Rochefort are well worth a visit if you are planning to do some motorhome travel in France. The islands Ile de Ré and Ile d’Oléron are easily accessible from the mainland.
The Deux Sevres is a department which remains, despite development, mostly rural. It is France’s first producer of goat’s cheese and melons. The rolling valleys and green countryside are criss-crossed by numerous rivers and it is these rivers that have given life to several of the more important towns of the department.
Vienne is in the east of the region and finds itself at the frontier of exchanges between the interior and the coast. The regional capital, Poitiers can be found in the department of Vienne. Its geographical situation has been a real boon for this city which, situated on the axe Paris-Bordeaux-Spain, has become a centre of dynamism and economic growth. If you’re hiring a motorhome in France or hiring a motorhome in England, the department is well worth exploring when you’re passing through. It is home to one of France’s biggest and most impressive attractions, the Futuroscope, which since its opening in 1987 is consecrated to creating sensational experiences using the latest technology and images.
The department of Charente bears witness to its past with heritage from the Neolithic Age, the Bronze Age, the Gauls and the Romans. It is also the home to Cognac, ‘liquor of the gods’. The production is really a work of art involving the chemistry between the alcohol, the air and the wood with, of course, a helping hand from the producers.
While travelling around the region you can use the free Aires de Service in Poitou-Charente when you need to take a break. It will give you the opportunity to see and taste all that is on offer in the region before you continue your journey motorhoming in Centre, motorhoming in Aquitaine, motorhoming in the Limousin or motorhoming in the Pays de la Loire, the neighbouring regions.
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