Gites de Cognac
Local Area

Segonzac is the capital of the premier cognac grape growing region and was recently designated the first "Citta Slow" town in France, in recognition of its relaxed life style.
The immediate surrounding area is undulating and ideal for walks through the vines. Cognac houses abound throughout the area and visits can be arranged should you wish to sample, and possibly purchase, some of the excellent cognac or pineau (a local speciality) produced in the area.
You will find many excellent restaurants locally; lunch particularly offering a combination of quality and value.

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Cognac has all the amenities of a big modern town with large supermarkets etc, but keeps very much in touch with its distinguished heritage and long time association with the cognac industry.
The delightful old town has narrow, winding, cobbled streets to stroll around. The very famous cognac houses of Martell, Remy Martin, Hennessy, Otard etc. all offer guided tours. A visit to the museum of Cognac, near to the quayside, provides a facinating insight into the production of cognac and the industries associated with it. You could always finish your tour with a picnic on the riverside; maybe you would prefer an aperitif or perhaps lunch in one of the many cafes, bars or restaurants in the town.

The whole area has a strong cultural tradition and hosts many music festivals, concerts and art exhibitions etc. One of the major annual cultural events is the famous Cognac Blues Passion week .

Jarnac, some 12 kilometres away is famous as the homes of Courvoisier, (the cognac of Napoleon), and Hine, and the museum of Francois Mitterand. The Charente river passes through Jarnac and you can take a leisurely trip down the river or hire canoes.
Jarnac also has horse race meetings several times a year.

Further afield

The coast is about an hour's drive away. The long sands of St Georges de Didonne are unspoilt and particularly attractive. You should also visit Talmont on the coast, a very pretty small town with strong English connections. A few miles up the coast from Talmont is Meschers, worth visiting for a 'catch of the day' fish lunch at one of the restaurants at the old port.

Aubeterre, with its amazing monolithic church, is well worth a visit, particularly as it has one of the best restaurants around.

( http://www.hostellerie-perigord.com)
The beautiful town of St Emilion with its surrounding top quality Bordeaux vineyards is about 90 minutes away and is a must for anyone interested in wine.

Angouleme is the capital of the Charente and as such is the centre for much of the cultural activity in the region. It hosts the international comic book festival early in the year, the Bande Dessinee, and mid September it is packed with classic car enthusiasts for 'Le Circuit de Ramparts'.


A major shopping centre, Angouleme also caters for the serious gormand with specialist shops, including a number of master Chocolatiers!
The pedestrian area caters to all tastes in dining with cuisines from around the world.

Even further afield are

Poitiers (look at Futuroscope and the vallee de singes)

Bordeaux

La Rochelle