Poitou Charentes is made up of four departments, the Charente, Vienne, Charente Maritime and Deux-Sèvres. There is a regional language Poitevin-Saintongeais which is still spoken by a small number of people. Poitou Charentes is one of the sunniest regions of France, it has a mild climate, with up to 2,250 hours of sunshine each year making it second only to the Cote d'Azur.

The sunshine, long hot summers, sunflower fields, mild winters and beautiful Atlantic coastline make Poitou-Charentes a popular destination for expats and second home owners. Heading inland are the Marais Poitevin also known as the Poitou Fens or Green Venice an outstandingly beautiful network of waterways and canals and lush meadows.

Notable towns in Poitou Charentes

Cognac home of the famous Brandy is built on the Charente river, the old town contains many unusual buildings and dates back to around the 15th century.

Angoulême the préfecture (capital city) of Charente is situated above the river Charente, once a fortified town you can still walk along the ramparts and enjoy views across the river.

Poitiers the capital of the Poitou Charentes region is a medieval town which is situated on the river Clain and birthplace of the 20th century French philosopher Michel Foucault.

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