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Motorhoming in Charente-Maritime
Motorhoming in Charente-Maritime
From La Rochelle in the north to Jonzac in the south, the department Charente-Maritime on the Atlantic coast of France is a real pleasure to include on your planned route if you choose motorhome travel in France as a way to see a bit of the country. Whether you’re hiring a motorhome in France or hiring a motorhome in England, this department, with its large stretch of Atlantic coast and its estuaries has many pleasures on which we can feast our eyes and satisfy our appetite.
La Rochelle benefits from a mild climate all year round, and this town built in pale stone with its sandy beach and casino is a real pleasure to visit and will make you feel like staying a while. The two towers of the old port mark the entrance to the quays where you can sit on terrace and have a coffee and watch the world go by or wander and roam around the old town. The centre is pedestrianised in the summer and lots of people get around on bikes, so if you’ve got them strapped to the rack on the back of your motorhome, park up in one of the Aires de Service in La Rochelle and circulate like the locals. There is a large park which follows the river and you can ride through to get into town, the port or the beach. In the summer it’s definitely the best idea.
Jonzac in the south of the department has established itself recently as a thermal spa town. The natural source was only discovered in 1979 and the town has since renovated some of its historical buildings to house the spa centres. The 15th century château with its own little village once constituted the centre of Jonzac and its splendour bears witness to the kings and noblesse who visited it.
The village of Mornac sur Seudre can be found in the Seudre estuary where it borders with the salt planes which are common to the area. This medieval village with its authentic fishing port was well placed between La Rochelle and Bordeaux and its 12th century fortified church has seen many a conflict between France and England. It has become a tourist attraction with its little white houses and its craftsmen loyal to their local traditions.
There are so many things to see and do in Charente-Maritime. You can take a boat trip out to Fort Boyard, built by Napolean to protect the coast from the English. By the time it was finished it was already obsolete and was consequently turned into a prison. Visit the zoo La Palmyre, the aquarium at La Rochelle, the beaches, the islands, the towns and villages. Sample the local oysters and the mussels, the charentais melons, the local cheese, la Jonchée. Find the Aires de Service in Poitou-Charentes so that you can make the most of your stay before going motorhoming in Charente, motorhoming in deux-Sèvres or motorhoming in Vienne.
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