Information about the Poitou-Charentes department and the camping resources to be found in that region.

The part of Poitou Charentes in which we are interested for camping purposes covers the western coastal area from just below the Vendee to a point a tad north of Bordeaux, including the mouth of the River Gironde as our link to a map of the area shows.

That area includes some really popular camping resorts such as la Rochelle, the area around the world renowned cheese making city of Rochefort, Ile d'Oleron and Royan. All of these lovely places are pretty well accessible to drivers in one day if they take the right ferry crossing. Really it shouldn't take any more than 3 to 4 hours from St Malo to la Rochelle using the fast and free uncluttered dual carriageways to and around Nantes and the A83 for part of the rest of the journey (payable I'm afraid). Add another hour or so if you crossed to Caen, and roughly the same from Cherbourg. Rochefort is very close to la Rochelle and Royan only a wee bit further south.

Places of interest are cities like Saintes and Cognac where if you play your cards right and promise not to drive afterwards you can go round distilleries and do the tasting citcuit, hic.

The general area of Poitou Charentes is ideal for camping holidays and exploring. The beaches are wonderful and if you tire of sunbathing and watersports, for which the region is famous, then there are always places like la Rochelle to visit for the day. La Rochelle is a walled city and a good proportion of the walls are still in good condition today so that you can walk round them with ease and look down into the city or the water on the seaward side.

A good tip if you are visiting la Rochelle by car is to go so far until you see a Park & Ride sign, usually on a roundabout. For your sake we recommend that you Park & Ride because there is not a snowball's chance that you will find a parking space in the city. Besides which, the P & R runs every 20 minutes or so and parking is so cheap for a day that it isn't worth the hassle of driving into the city to find a parking place only to have to come out again frustrated.

Royan is another place which is a "must visit" if you go to the Charente Maritime region of Poitou Charentes. Royan took a terrible battering during WW11 but was renovated shortly afterwards and is now again one of the most visited cities on the western coast of France, and today it is well known for its beautiful beaches with fine pale sand which make it the true jewel of the Atlantic coast. Royan is now a modern and spacious town with its fishing port and marina opening onto the ocean.

Royan has shops to die for, lots of pavement cafes and a proper, modern market. There are superb beaches and lots of the surrounding land is forest where walking is an absolute delight. If you are a sports lover then this is the place for you as Royan has facilities for golf, tennis, riding, parachute jumping, sailing, surfing, angling and many other things.

Rochefort, again on the Atlantic Coast just a little way south of la Rochelle in the Charente-Maritime department of the Poitou-Charentes, is another place well worth a visit, and it has a military harbour dating back to the 17th century when it was an important naval base. The town was apparently built around the harbour. Rochefort as we are sure you are aware has an affinity with cheese of the same name.

We hope you enjoy Poitou Charentes and your camping holiday there.