Charente Boating Holidays. The Charente river was quoted by Francois the 1st, King of France in the 14th century, as being the most beautiful river in the country. He had a nose for good living (literally – he was known as “Big Nose”) and we’re sure that you’ll agree with him once you’ve explored this exceptional waterway.

The small village of Sireuil on the Charente River is a great base to start your cruise adventure and offers you all the basic amenities to prepare you for your trip.

The short eastward route takes you to the bustling town of Angoulême, capital of the Charente region. It is renown for its artistic culture with an international comic book festival. The city is surrounded by medieval ramparts and sits high above the Charente river with fantastic views of the whole valley. The old town with its winding alleyways and cobbled streets is a great place to explore. The grand 12th century Saint Pierre Cathedral is in the town centre and there’s a cartoon trail with amazing murals giving an interesting juxtaposition of gothic and romanesque architecture.

Heading west, the River Charente winds through vineyards, typical white stone villages, eventually joining the Atlantic Ocean Rochefort.

The clean crystal clear waters along the river are great to swim in and there are supervised beaches near Jarnac and Chateauneuf-sur-Charente.

The banks are lined with fields of sunflowers and rolling hills of Cognac’s vineyards. The town of Cognac itself astride the Charente River. Here you will able to moor and take a stroll through the centre where you can discover the many distilleries of the famous spirit. French Leave Holidays can arrange private tours of The House of Remy Martin, producers of exceptional Cognac since 1724. There are 11 unique experiences for you to enjoy that include a visit of their vineyards, cellars, historic house followed by a tasting. Please ask us for details at the time of booking.

The river continues to Saintes with its Roman amphitheatre and delightful small towns and villages of Fleurac, St Simeux, Châteauneuf, Saint-Simon, Bassac, St Brice, Jarnac, Saint-Savinien. The final stop on this stretch of water is Rochefort. This busy town on the Atlantic coast, also known as Rochefort-sur-Mer, was established in the middle of the 17th century. It has an important military past and housed many naval and military schools. You can explore its architectural heritage and once moored, you can cycle to the ocean’s beaches where you’ll also be able to glimpse the island prison of Fort Boyard.

Local tourist office

The region’s tourist office website is worth visiting when you are preparing your holiday with some great local advice, tips and useful information www.infiniment-charentes.com