The South West region of Poitou Charentes is claimed to get the second sunniest in France. Offered here you will find a wide range of leisure and activities and places of interest for the both new and experienced alike. It is an area rich in history and culture and for those who enjoy their munchies, there is a superb range of local dishes and wines have fun with. It is also a great place for a golfing holiday.

The Poitou-Charentes region in South-West France recently been discovered by many families who will be looking for a gite holiday in poitou charentes within an easy days drive of the Channel ports and with good rail and air connections.

With both La Rochelle and the Ile-de-Re Charente Maritime is a very popular destination among both french and overseas visitors.

La Rochelle is usually a lovely coastal town just east of Ile de Ré and there are plenty of gites near la rochelle, even though the Atlantic coast here includes some attractive (and extremely popular) islands such as Ile de Ré (and it's really major town at St-Martin-de-Ré) and Ile d'Oleron.

The classified 'beautiful villages' of Ars-en-Ré and La Flotte-en-Ré are some of the many villages on the island. The tiny island of Ile d'Aix, the fortified island where Napoleon stayed, can also be found just offshore.

Inland from La Rochelle the nearby towns at Marans and Surgeres also have some interesting features to understand more about.Continuing south along the coast in Charente-Maritime, visit Royan, a common seaside resort and 4* ville fleurie; the lovely resort and zoo at La Palmyre, just a little north from Royan; and also Meschers-sur-Gironde.

Inland a little are Rochefort, a 17th century grand new town around a significant naval base; the 'most beautiful village' at Talmont-sur-Gironde; town of Saintes; and the fortifications at Brouage.

The Charente River may be explored, as it passes through miles of rolling countryside between Angouleme and Rochefort, and it is popular with visitors wanting to view the landscapes of the region. To get a different water based experience head north to the marshy world of the Marais Poitevin around Marans inside north-east of Charente-Maritime.

To the north-east of Poitou-Charentes, the Deux-Sevres department is the most suitable known for the Marais-Poitevin, which falls partly in this department around Coulon.

(The Marais-Poitevin is often a large region of canals and marshes, best explored with a boat hired from one with the towns here).

The town of Melle is often a lively town best known due to its ensemble of churches.Moving north from the department visit the medieval centre of Parthenay as well as the town of Thouars, to the south-east of Saumur.