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Activities and Local Area
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Please click on a link below or simply scroll down the page
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Activities available at Le Petit Roc
Leisure activities in the local area
Culture and history
Arts and Crafts
Gastronomy
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Activities available at Le Petit Roc
Apart from walking along the country lanes and swimming in the pool, guests can also enjoy a game of tennis, table tennis, badminton, pétanque, and even volleyball and five a side football if numbers are sufficient. We also have 5/6 bikes available for guest use.
But please don’t think that Le Petit Roc is all action. There are music systems and DVD players in all the gites, and a selection of books in each property. Relax with a bottle of wine and a book to the sounds of silence.
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Leisure activities in the local area
Swimming and Bathing: Although the pool at Le Petit Roc is exceptionally large for gites, it is not ideal for swimming lengths because of its beach entry. There is, however, an excellent outdoor pool in Chalais itself, with diving boards for the more adventurous. Ten minutes drive west away at Brossac is the Etang Vallier, a swimming lake with sand beach, waterside restaurant, and other attractions, including quad bikes, mountain bikes and horse riding; whilst ten minutes in the other direction, at Aubeterre, is a river beach with similar facilities. St.Aulaye has another excellent river beach, and is a 13 minutes drive in the direction of Bergerac. If you want ocean beaches the closest are at Royan, a fairly commercial sea side resort on the Gironde estuary, a good hour’s drive away. But a long day trip might take you to Biscarosse on the other side of Bordeaux, returning via the incredible sand dune at Pyla, and a restaurant in Arcachon. Allow an early start and late finish for this outing.
Kayaking and Canoeing: There are various operators who run kayak and canoe trips on the River Dronne. These can be an hour’s paddle or a half day’s expedition with drop off or pick up. Aubeterre is one starting point but just as close, on the Dordogne side of the river is Parcoul.
Horseriding: Not surprisingly, given the rural nature of the region, you are spoilt for choice when it comes to horses. Close by you can try equestrian activities at Bonnes, Brossac, Rioux Matin and Laprade. On the middle weekend of August each year Chalais hosts an international show jumping competition.
Hot Air Ballooning/Flying: On Sundays 20 minute flights are available from the local Chalais airfield, at around 35 euros for 3. And another way of reaching the sky, hot air ballooning, can be found at both Blanzac (Charente Montgolfiers),or Perignac (Charente Ballons). In July the European Cup is held at Mainfonds, just north of Blanzac.
Golf: An excellent 9 hole course can be found close by at the Manoir de Longeveau, just north of Aubeterre, whilst further afield you will be able to combine sightseeing with an 18 hole round at Libourne, Angouleme and Cognac.
Fishing: The U.K.’s number one sport is well catered for at various fishing lakes and river banks, including the “etangs” of Belettes and Risbadoux at nearby Rioux Martin, with carp, black bass, pike and roach all in good supply.
Walking, Running, Mountain Biking: You are never far from the action with over 1,000 km of signposted trails and 500 km of rambling and cycling trails, including national trails GR4, GR36 and GR48, allowing you to cover the whole Charente region.
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Culture and history
The Charente is a region rich in Roman remains and Romanesque art, and you are never far away from one or the other. Close to Le Petit Roc you will find the incredible monolithic church at Aubeterre, whilst another 5 minutes drive will take you to La Musée Gallo–Roman at Le Petit Boursac. Points of interest from more recent times include the home of author Alfred de Vigny in Champagne – Vigny near Blanzac, venue for the festival of Romanticism every June, and the Musee de la Resistance et de la Deportation in Angouleme. Further afield are the Grottes de Villars, on the far side of Brantome, in the Dordogne.
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Arts and crafts
There are a wide range of traditional crafts practised in the southern Charente, and numerous artists working in a variety of mediums. Close to Le Petit Roc visitors can find the tapisserie (carpet making) of Didier Dumortier in Chalais, the poterie of Hubert De Longchamp in Brossac, the book binding of Abbayde de Maumont in Juignac, and the menuisier /ebeniste (cabinet maker) Joel Pierre in St.Felix. Aubeterre is a centre of arts and crafts and you will find sculptors, pottery makers, glass blowers and experts in “couture” amongst others.
Moreover, you will surely want to visit at least one of the local markets; Chalais on a Monday morning, Riberac on a Friday and Aubeterre on a Sunday.
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Gastronomy
Close by are several excellent restaurants; the Relais du Chateau, in the chateau which dominates Chalais, Domaine Des Vignes in nearby Saint Romain, whilst for lunch the Restaurant, Chez Poirier in Bardenac, serves menus beginning at 11 euros with excellent “cuisine paysanne.
Food lovers might want to schedule a visit to tie in with the Gatronomades Festival in Angouleme held over three days at the end of November.
Angouleme has many attractions, including the Nautilus centre which is ideal for rainy days with its Olympic size pool and skating rink, its International Comic Strip festival held at the end of January, and Vintage Car Rally in the middle week of September. Cognac, Perigeux, Brantome and Bordeaux itself are other towns/cities worth a day’s visit.
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