Charente Maritime is the sunniest region on France’s west coast… it really is, the French weather service says so. So combine the sunshine with massive sandy beaches screened by forests of pine trees, and fun seaside towns, and you have the perfect mix for a top family holiday.

Of course, it’s a bit too easy to spend your days soaking up the sun at one of the many beaches, or by the pools at Les Charmettes, La Pignade or Bonne Anse Plage. Drag yourself away and there is a huge amount to see. 

A great way to start any tour are with the horse riding schools from La Pignade and Les Charmettes. There are rides that take you through forests and as far as the coast.

The nearby town of La Palmyre has a fantastic beach which is popular with windsurfers. France’s Atlantic coast is a favourite with water sports enthusiasts and there are many sailing schools.

Sand yachting is also popular in Charente Maritime and you don’t have to be a dare-devil to take part. Just behind the beach at La Palymyre is a long stretch of pine forest which is great for exploring by bike.

Famous towns
There are famous towns to visit. La Rochelle’s cultural and architectural heritage recalls the sea, and the quaysides of the Old Harbour are dramatic.

If you’re after a day out to keep dad happy then a visit to Cognac works a treat.  Also, it’s not too dull for the kids, which of course helps. The town gives its name to one of the world’s best-known types of brandy or eau de vie. Spend the day exploring the town’s medieval quarter, “Vieux Cognac” running from the Tours Saint-Jacques, alongside the river, up to the Saint-Léger church.  There are unusual buildings on the narrow cobbled streets and you can try spotting the ugliest gargoyle. If you can, fit in a visit to one of the Cognac making houses. The Martell house is well organised, with a sound and light show and taste testing. 

Inland Charente
The Marais Poitevin is a maze of waterways and vegetation, best-explored with locals on their punts or on horseback. For photo moments, the Thouet Valley is full of towns and villages high above the steep-sided banks of the river. Mighty arched bridges span the waterway and Romanesque churches and the castle built by Dukes of Trémoille dominate the landscape.

The Charente Valley feels like traditional France, with a meandering river, vineyards, sleep villages and golden hillsides. The most famous town of this region is Cognac, home to the popular brandy.

Food tips
France is famed for its ‘gastronomy’, and Charente Maritime is famous for its Marenne-Oléron oysters.

The fantastic Central Market of Royan is open every morning for traders with a huge diversity of seasonal products. The fish market is hugely impressive, selling all sorts of catches, although crawfish is one of the stars, along with the Marenne Oyster.

Also keep an eye out for products from the land, including the mouth-watering Charente melon, Blayais asparaguses, which are white or violet and at their best between March and mid May, or even kiwi fruit – France is the second largest European producer!

La Rochelle market is another great all rounder, with avenues of fruit, veg, meats and fish. When you’ve tired of searching the stalls there are fantastic bars and restaurants on the edge – try the grey shrimps which are called “boucs” – especially tasty when they are cooked in a buttered frying pan and flambéed with cognac.

The famous zoo
Your children will love the zoo at La Palmyre – particularly as many of the animals will happily munch popcorn out of their hands, the elephants and giraffes seem particularly keen on the stuff.

The zoo is one of the biggest in Europe with 1,600 animals. It runs breeding programmes for endangered species but something makes me suspect that your children are going to be more interested in the parrot and sealion shows, the baby monkeys and zebras, and the extrovert meercats who love to play up to an audience. 

Futuroscope
On your way back home why not visit Futuroscope, a huge science-based theme parc and one of the leading tourist attractions in France. It uses a combination of films on giant cinema screens that appear above your head, below your feet and all around to give you a sense of flying, racing and rushing across incredible landscapes or through the seas.

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Tags | bonne anse plage, Charente Maritime, cognac, Futuroscope, horse riding, La Palmyre, la pignade, La Rochelle, les charmettes, Marais Poitevin, Thouet Valley