Charente walks

Thanks to the natural beauty of its location and the richness of its heritage, Saint-Brice is one of the most picturesque areas of Cognac region. At the heart of the Charente and Soloire rivers valley, man has erected many symbolic buildings: dolmens, churches, abbeys, castles and manors, all expertly crafted.

Saint-Sulpice-de-Cognac is pleasantly located between the marshlands of the Antenne River and limestone hillsides. There, are hidden the remains of the Agrippa Roman road as well as forgotten local railroad. Cherves-Richemont is graced with the Antenne River and offers an unexpected diversity of landscapes. Its historic heritage is particularly rich: Romanesque churches, Château Chesnel, watermills, manor houses….

Bordered to the South by the Charente river, theSaint-Laurent area consists of a small town gathered around its church and its 11th century portal, several villages spread across the valleys and the hills as well as farms and secluded dwellings.

This walk takes you along the Charente river before returning to the starting point through the vineyards. A very peaceful and pleasant route.

The shepherds who lived here built the Church of Saint-Surin in the 9th century. After the Revolution, this church was attached to Châteauneuf. Climbing a little higher, you can see the diversity of the surrounding landscapes, then descend along the Charente.

This circuit gives you the chance to discover rural heritage (springs, water sources, open air wash houses); and at each place, a description of its history is displayed. The route also highlights the architectural and historical heritage of the 13th century (Eglise Saint-Prohet, the Place Jacquaire, the protestant stele, the Chateau de Segeville) plus the various hamlets in the locality, flora and fauna.

Cliffs, boulders and old quarries frame this lush valley with its waterlogged soil and rich heritage, which you can discover by following the course of the Anguienne and from the top of the cliffs.

Nature lovers will be delighted by the Vindelle countryside! Walk along the Charente river, then climb up for a breathtaking view of the valley. A must-see outside of winter!

Located at the confluence of the Né and Charente rivers, the Merpins commune has been permanently occupied by men from very early times: arrowheads, pottery shards, and later an imposing medieval fortress, an 11th century church and an abbey dating back to the 12th century are the living proof. These fertile lands are home to meadows, cereal fields and a Grande-Champagne listed vineyard.

Starting from the charming little village of Saint-Simeux, discover the plateau where vines grow in abundance, dotted with small hamlets, each one more charming than the last, with their large old stone buildings.

This hike will take you around Lake Mas Chaban and offer beautiful views of Lake Chaban and a passage through the small village of Lésignac-Durand, where there is a church worth seeing. The difficulty lies mainly in the length of the walk. In very wet weather, the path can be very muddy or even impassable. The route can also be done in the opposite direction. Please note that the view is not clear between Valette and the starting/finishing point.

The route passes through moorland with pine woods and several white clay quarries. The route starts at the Vallier pond estate and crosses the communes of Passirac, Guizengeard and Boisbreteau. The landscape of the Motte valley is remarkable.

The hike to the Meulières de Claix and Chaumes du Vignac sites is located south-west of Angoulême, 20 minutes by car via the RN 10. A protected site for its flora and fauna, it is a limestone plateau offering beautiful views of the Claix valley. The hike is beautiful and offers varied landscapes alternating between rocky areas (Meulières and Chaumes du Vignac), forests, vineyards, hamlets, historical monuments and cultivated plains.

A major protected natural site, the Eaux-Claires Valley is a popular walking destination, remarkable for its limestone cliffs and biodiversity.

Just 10 minutes from Angoulême, the Forest of Dirac offers welcome shade and sunken paths lined with low walls or wide forest lanes. Take advantage of this beautiful immersion in nature to discover its flora and fauna. In spring, you can see the spectacular flowering of the asphodel.

The landscape varies along this route, first along the Charente river, then through vineyards, and now we are in the forest.

Meadows around the Charente river to the forest a little higher up. Beautiful landscapes and a variety of pleasant environments to walk through.

From the top of the hills, you will see the village of Touvre, its valley and the Church of Sainte-Marie-Madeleine. The start and finish are at the source of the Touvre, the second largest resurgence in France. The route will take you through the Braconne forest and end on theGR®4.

A very pleasant route, especially the last part where you walk along the lake.

Route between the Brandes leisure area and Anguienne via the viaduct and Baloge Mill.

This hamlet with its spicy scents offers superb views of the "puys" of Champniers, the surrounding countryside and the town of Angoulême.

Étagnac, its ponds and forest. Hike in the heart of nature and tranquillity on an unmarked route.

A varied circuit, sometimes in the sun in the vineyards sometimes in the forest. A very pleasant walk in the middle of the countryside.

Circular route starting from Brigueuil, a beautiful fortified town, with varied landscapes including numerous ponds and beautiful forests.

Hike along the Charente river via the Îles de Fleurac. Please note that it is no longer possible to complete the circular route, as it is no longer possible to cross the footbridges to the Îles de Fleurac.

From the top of the surrounding hills, you can see the village of Touvre and the Church of Sainte-Marie-Madeleine, at the foot of which the Touvre springs forth, the second largest resurgence in France.

Twenty kilometres north of Angoulême, Jauldes has preserved its beautiful rural heritage. Between fields and forests, take the time to linger in its charming villages with their old buildings made of small, typical limestone blocks.

At the westernmost tip of Charente, Louzac-Saint-André, with its two villages and numerous hamlets, is a typical commune of the Borderies region in Saintonge. These rural paths wind through alternating wooded areas and vineyards. From valleys to hills, in addition to beautiful views of the Romanesque churches of Saint-Martin de Louzac and Saint-André, walkers will discover two remarkable natural landscapes, the Ri Bellot Valley and the Vallée de La Croix.

This beautiful, undulating walk will take you from the fountains of Ladoux, Les Guérinauds and La Faye to the Charente.

Short walk in the Boixe forest. After a glimpse of the village and its castle, you will walk along a hunting ground with its refuge... Then you will venture into the Boixe Forest, following grassy paths, one of which has been turned into a botanical trail... Near the Pierre du Sacrifice site, you can visit the well-restored Tumulus...

Unspoilt nature, pretty villages, art in the countryside, magnificent views, remarkable limestone cliffs and a major prehistoric site are all good reasons to explore this route in the shade of the undergrowth.

At the start of the hike, you will pass through a pretty little village with a remarkable church. The hike continues along a small stream that leads to a very large pond, then through a wooded area, and the end of the hike offers beautiful views of the countryside.

This nature-filled hike begins with a walk through the Soyaux woods, before reaching the Font Noire valley and skirting the Entreroches cliffs. After passing through the Saint-Martial gate in Antornac, walkers will first come across the Montboulard residence, then the old town and Saint-Matthieu Church.

This is a beautiful urban hike offering exceptional views of the Vieil Angoulême plateau and allowing you to discover remarkable preserved natural areas in Angoulême, Soyaux, L'Isle d'Espagnac and Gond Pontouvre. This route is marked in yellow.

A beautiful hike along dirt tracks, forest paths and small tarmac roads.

The commune of Gond Pontouvre, nestled between the Touvre and Charente rivers, has preserved an important natural heritage where you can discover dykes, locks, bridges, mills and wash houses.

Built on the lower slopes of Grande Champagne, Genté offers its residents proximity to the town of Cognac, 8 km away, and the charms of rural life. Point 101 is an iconic location in the commune of Genté, where the orientation table is located. This site was once home to an old mill, some remains of which are still buried in the ground around the site. Point 101 is also the reference point for sea level.

This is a very beautiful hike with a few hills, and you will often see multicoloured hot air balloons decorating the sky and adding to the enjoyment of the hike.

This walk, which starts at a beautiful spot where you can admire the church, the château and its wash house, is also a page in the history of the Resistance and the Demarcation Line, anchored in the Bouëx countryside on the edge of the Braconne-Bois Blanc national forest.

Also known as the "small heritage trail", you will discover this heritage through a short route on the heights but also on the banks of the Charente.

Situated at 25m altitude - the river Né and the Motte stream are the principal water courses which cross the locality. In certain places there are excellent views towards and from the village, the Dolmen, of the vineyards, the landscape of the Grande Champagne and surrounding villages. In every season you can discover a certain charm and appeal in St. Fort.

A beautiful walk through the woods, bread oven, Maumont Abbey and pretty little villages.

Discover 20 painted walls, true works of art, designed by prestigious artists and created by the muralists of Cité Création. From its rocky promontory overlooking the Charente and Anguienne valleys, Angoulême offers walkers remarkable views.

Discover the hidden side of Saint-Yrieix sur Charente. Depart from the village of Vénat, with its church and beautiful houses sheltered behind their porches, to reach the banks of the Charente River and the Thouérat lock. A varied route that combines nature and heritage and has some wonderful surprises in store (viewpoints, fountains). The countryside in the city!

Gimeux was built on a hillside overlooking the valley and marshlands of the river Né and enjoys a flourishing farming activity: meadows and cereal fields in the valley, vineyards on the hills. Ancient burial sites and the outline of the old Roman road called ‘Chemin Boisné’ are revealing of the ancestral occupation of the land. The parish church dates back to the 12th century. Also marking the landscape are an old chapel as well as the remains of a windmill on the Fanaud hillside.

A lovely walk through the Charentais vineyards, passing beautiful buildings and around the village of Roissac. Angeac- Champagne counts numerous prosperous-looking Charentais houses, witness to the wealth which lies in the local economy producing cognac, its principal occupation. The entrances to the estates are marked by a gate or porch way: there are at least 50. They are unique and typical of our local heritage. At Roissac village they embellish the main street.

Set off to discover the miraculous fountain of Bellevau in the commune of Sers (16). This place is a real gem, home to an underground chapel and a fountain set in a green and cool setting. Arriving via the mule track, you will pass the remains of troglodyte dwellings until you reach the chapel, part of which is underground (private property). Behind the chapel, on the side of the rock and sheltered by trees, a few cavities house religious emblems and signs of contemplation.

The Gaul root of its name means 'strength, courage'. The Hundred Years War persuaded the construction of numerous underground passages, which enabled the inhabitants to take refuge from extreme violence. Without a doubt Protestantism has left its mark in the area, particularly with the Segonzacais. The first Reformed church was founded in 1558. Troubles occurred in 1562 and the parish church was burnt down. Today's Temple church is the third constructed since the Edict of Nantes.

Pranzac is a small commune in Charente with a rich feudal past. The association "Les secrets de Pranzac" is involved in the partial reconstruction of the Château des Comtes des Cars.Our walk will first take us around the old seigneurial park of the castle, then continue along the valley, crossing fords and footbridges.

Segonzac: the root of its name means 'strength, courage' in Gaulish. Archaeological digs have revealed a Neolithic inhabitation (approx. 5000 B.C) The Hundred Years' War persuaded the construction of numerous underground passages, which enabled the inhabitants to take refuge from extreme violence. Protestantism has, without a doubt, left its mark in the area, particularly with the Segonzacais. The first Reformed church was founded in 1558. Troubles occurred in 1562 and the parish church was burnt down. Today's Temple is the third constructed since the Edict of Nantes. According to a legend at the start of the 17th century, it was at Segonzac that a vintner named Chevalier de la Croix Maron invented double distillation.