Local Area Information
Lots of Things To Do!
Whether you enjoy food and wine, outdoor activities or local arts and crafts, Le Petit Roc is ideally located to explore a variety of places of interest.
Leisure Activities in the Local Area
Swimming and Bathing
There are some excellent river and lake beaches within easy reach of Le Petit Roc. Choose between those to the east at Aubeterre and St. Aulaye on the River Dronne, which forms the border between Charente and the Dordogne, and which can be reached by car (ten minutes) or even bike; Le Grand Etang La Jemaye to the south East (30 mins drive) or head west, to the lake beaches at Etang Vallier at Brossac, ten minutes away, or the more commercial Etang Beauvallon at Montguyon, 25 minutes drive. All of these lake and river beaches have cafés / restaurants and other attractions close by.
There is an excellent communal outdoor pool in Chalais next to the football pitch and tennis club. It has a 25 metre pool, a diving area with 3 high boards and a separate childrens’ paddling pool. It is open during the summer months only usually between 10.30am – 1:00pm, and 3:00pm – 7:00pm but check their website. You need to bring your own towels and men/boys must wear swimming trunks/Speedos not boardshorts.
If you want ocean beaches then you have a choice between those at Royan in Charente Maritime, about an hour and a half away, where you will also find a very impressive zoo, and could do some wine tasting in the Cote de Blaye on the return, or those in the Gironde at Lacanau or Biscarosse (about one hour and 45 minutes away), visits to which could be combined with climbing the Dune of Pyla, a sea food meal overlooking the Bay of Arcachon, or some sight seeing in the beautiful city of Bordeaux.
Cycling
There are many cycle routes in the area for the novice through to expert rider.
Kayaking and Canoeing
Kayaking is available in Aubeterre sur Dronne and Saint Aulaye, a 15 minute drive away from Le Petit Roc. It is advisable to book in the summer months and you can go for an hour's paddle or longer trips of various distances along stretches of the Dronne. You are dropped off up river and left to meander gently back to base. Many of our guests have enjoyed their canoeing trips from various locations. For those who fancy a whole day trip, we highly recommend Brantome where you can also kayak but combine with visiting the abbey and grabbing lunch or dinner at the various restaurants overlooking the river.
Golf
There are a number of good golf courses in the area including Chateau des Vigiers, Golf Du Cognac, Golf International de la Preze, Perigueux, Saint Emilionnais and others. All of which can be combined with sightseeing, wine, cognac and pinaud tasting.
For the passionate golfer there are world class courses in the area such as Golf Du Medoc Resort (www.golfdumedocresort.com/en/) and Chateau des Vigiers (www.vigiers.com) all within easy reach of the property.
Accrobranche (Go Ape)
There is a "Go Ape" style parks nearby (about 15-20 mins drive). Parc de Poltrot is situated just beyond Aubeterre and offers a free ropes course for younger children under 5 as well as a lovely picnic area by the river and a maze in the summer. Children under 8 need to be accompanied by an adult on the high ropes course. A fun activity to stay in the shade on those hot days! It is advisable to book the Go Ape courses to avoid disappointment.
Horseriding
A local stables, Ecurie de Chenes, offers lessons for the novice to the more experienced rider. Lessons can be booked in advance via email and the owner is English-speaking. There is a covered arena where you can enjoy your lesson away from the summer heat.
Running (jogging?)
Many of our guests take advantage of their holidays to exercise in the tranquil surroundings of the rolling countryside. Whether you’re seeking a twenty minute stroll or a 10km route which avoids the roads, you’ll find it on our doorstep.
Fishing
There is fishing aplenty in the local lakes and rivers, and you can buy licences in a local shop in Chalais which will allow you to fish in the Rivers Tude and Dronne as well as local lakes.
Culture, History, Arts and Crafts
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.
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 where you will find sculptors and pottery makers and a few bric-a-brac shops.
Markets
The nearest supermarkets to Le Petit Roc are Lidl and Intermarche, both within a 5 minute drive from the gites. These are open every day including Sunday mornings (Lidl opens Sunday mornings in the summer months only).
For a more authentic experience, there are many local markets that are available throughout the week where you mingle with the locals and pick up food and souvenirs:
Aubeterre sur Dronne: Sunday mornings
Chalais: Monday mornings - parking available at the Intermarche supermarket
Brantome: Friday mornings
Riberac: Friday mornings. Larger market around half an hour’s drive away. Be prepared to park a bit further out and walk into the village as this is a popular market populated by a variety of food and craft stalls.
St Aulaye: Saturday mornings
Markets tend to be early in the morning (from around 8.30am and continue until lunchtime, usually 12.30pm). They can get very busy in the summer months with locals and tourists therefore parking can be an issue so be prepared to walk a bit.
Food & Drink
Bordeaux is famous for its red wine with many vineyards within an hour of the property. St Emilion is about 45 minutes south which offers a great day out to explore a beautiful village as well as sample it's fine wines. Alcohol of the stronger variety can be found at Cognac, about 60 minutes to the north.
Several restaurants can be found nearby including the restaurant within the Chalais' chateau located above the town centre and various cafes in Chalais itself including a Tapas bar. Further afield, Aubeterre offers a good selection of eateries including three restaurants in the local square plus a Pizzeria restaurant at the top of the hill near the main Church plus Creperie De La Source, La Taverne restaurant and Le Garage (which serves a variety of burgers) all located off the main square. There is also a lovely ice cream parlour in Aubeterre on the pathway down towards the monolithic church.
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.
It is always advisable to book restaurants in advance to avoid disappointment.
A Few Other Ideas
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.
Brantome, Bordeaux, Cognac and Perigueux itself are other towns / cities worth a day’s visit. Brantome is our favourite with it's beautiful Abbey, lots of good restaurants overlooking the river and one of the best markets on a Friday morning. Book ahead to avoid disappointment.
Further afield there are amazing places such as Les Eyzies-De-Tayac-Sireuil, Sarlat-la-Caneda and La Roque-Gageac.