The Cognac region abounds in historical sites and natural or cultural curiosities. All these symbols make this area an emblematic tourist destination of the region, based on an image and strong identity values: the world-famous Cognac vineyard, the river Charente, Romanesque churches, sometimes painted, houses with high porches, huts in the vineyards, without forgetting the places that go off the beaten track, at the bend in a path or a road. In the villages, one often meets a memory ready to tell anecdotes and to transmit a passion: that of its soil

Vines as far as the eye can see

What strikes you as soon as you enter the Cognac region is the ocean of vines that opens up. The production of cognac is essential in this country. It is an economy in its own right which has sustained the region since the 17th century. The art of cognac is the art of making the prestigious eau-de-vie but it is also the art of making known everything that is expressed in the divine bottles from the grapes through the distillation to the bottling. Traveling through this country is also a way to understand different ways of life and an often unknown heritage

Cognac, the city of François I

Cognac is a historical and rich city and the ideal starting point for excursions. Labelled as a City of Art and History, the city is known all over the world. However, François I and Jean Monnet, both natives of Cognac, have little to do with it. The international fame is obviously due to this alcoholic beverage, otherwise known as the "liqueur of the gods". Throughout the year, tourists are attracted by the brandy but also by the gentle river and countryside. The city extends on both sides of the Charente. The right bank is occupied by shops, restaurants, a camping-car stop and a quay where pleasure boats can moor. The left bank is marked by the castle of Valois where François I was born - which became the cognac house of Baron Otard in 1795 -, the park of François I and the large trading houses. Often established along the banks of the Charente, they included a warehouse on the first floor and the mansion part was located on the upper floors.

Cognac also hides its wealth behind the high walls of its cellars. The wine merchants open their doors to tourists for a cultural approach but also to show their know-how through guided tours. The choice is often difficult because they all have their own specificities

A city with a rich heritage

Pedestrian routes highlight the urban heritage through two themes: the King's route and the Belle Époque route. The whole family can participate in the walk, and children can look for the totems and colored signs that line the city for an architectural treasure hunt. In the cobbled streets, you will notice the Romanesque Saint-Léger church, half-timbered houses, old dwellings, the signs of a shop, the sculpted pediments of private mansions, including the beautiful Perrin de Boussac mansion, which houses the Cognac Arts Museum, and the Rabayne mansion dating from the 16th century. The Place François Ier offers a "royal" setting with terraces and restaurants. On the Place d'Armes, the market is inspired by the halles of Baltard

Jarnac, from François Mitterrand to the great cognac houses

Another city known all over the world: Jarnac. Cognac is one of its strong points but it is rivaled by a man born in this city: François Mitterrand (1916-1996), former president of the French Republic. We follow his footsteps, starting with his birthplace. We discover the history of the Mitterrand family through the furniture and objects kept for four generations, as well as numerous documents (speeches, manuscripts of the President, etc.). In the garden, you will find the old building of the family vinegar factory, the cooperage and the wash house.

The François Mitterrand Museum (open from May to September, in 2022) is housed in the former cognac cellar of the Bisquit Dubouché house. He had chosen this place himself. This room brings together objects donated by personalities from all over the world: kings, queens, presidents, prime ministers, ambassadors, representatives of local authorities... The other room is the room of Capital Architectures where models of the major works of the State from 1981 to 1995 are exhibited, from the National Library of France to the Opera-Bastille.

It will then be time to visitthe greatcognac houses, including the Courvoisier house, supplier to the imperial court under Napoleon I. This cognac is still considered as one of the best in the world, with of course and not surprisingly the bust of Napoleon as emblem

The Charente through towns and villages

In Jarnac as in Cognac, river cruises on the Charente allow to spend unforgettable moments with the family. Some villages have been marked by the importance of the river trade which was practiced on gabares. These flat-bottomed boats transported cognac, paper, salt, wood and also stones from quarries to the sea. Saint-Simon was home to three shipyards. A lively activity reigned there, between the passage of boats loaded with goods and the construction work of the gabariers. Today, the traces of this activity are still visible in the village thanks to a discovery circuit with explanatory panels

The Charente countryside is well worth a walk. In the towns and villages you can see high porches, more or less decorated, the only elements visible from the street, which hide the houses called dwellings. These farms, generally built under the Second Empire, mark the social success of the owners. This architecture is not the result of chance. The winegrowers had a sense of confidentiality not only towards the tax authorities but also to preserve their secret of making cognac. The dwellings often form a quadrilateral which houses the dwelling house, the cellars, the distillery, the stable, the laundry, all overlooking the courtyard. Dovecotes, bread ovens and wash houses are still visible in some villages. While walking through the vineyards, you can still come across caburotes, small stone houses scattered in the vineyards.

Between leisure and gastronomy

The Pays du Cognac offers many leisure activities. Hiking in the Cognac region means choosing from a wide range of landscapes between vineyards, small woods, hills and remarkable viewpoints. Canoeing has found its place thanks to waters that are favorable to the practice of this sport

If cognac is the flagship product of the region, one should not forget pineau, made from a mixture of grape juice and brandy. It is available in red, white and rosé. For several years now, red and rosé vins de pays charentais have been appearing on the market. Finally, you cannot leave without having tasted the Charente melon, mogettes (a small dry bean that accompanies many dishes), Charente crickets made from browned pork shoulder and ham and preserved in fat for several hours and then defatted with a ladle, without forgetting the cagouilles à la charentaise, these small crickets stuffed with sausage meat. The Cognac region can be savored in every sense of the word.

Useful information

When can you come? You can come all year round. Winters are relatively mild (5°C) and rainy but they only last three months. Summers are often dry and hot (25°C), sometimes favoring hail storms. On the other hand, autumn is rather unstable, it is the period of the grape harvest and the wine growers are not very available. Spring is ideal.

How to get there. By train : TGV from Paris-Montparnasse to Angoulême (about 2h30) and then TER to Cognac (40 min). By car : A 10 from Paris and Bordeaux

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