Holiday homes in Poitou-Charentes/Vendee - private accommodation to rent

With the sunniest climate in Western France, this area is one of the most unspoilt in the country. The Atlantic coast has gentle sandy beaches, with bridged islands like Oléron and Ré, to be explored just offshore. The coast also boasts excellent golf courses and seaside resorts like La Rochelle, which is best discovered on foot. Not to be missed are the ruins of 5 medieval castles at Chauvigny, ‘Sleeping Beauty’s Castle’ at La Roche-Courbon, Roman monuments such as those at Saintes and numerous museums. These illuminate much of the region’s past, including the religious persecution of the Protestant population in the 17th century. A speciality of local cookery is a ripe Charentais melon, halved and filled with Pineau de Charente, a local apéritif. Inland the Futuroscope near Poitiers is one of France’s major attractions, with rides and laser displays all dedicated to the world of cinema and the moving image. Poitiers itself is a growing and bustling city, and well worth a visit.