The Charente River curves through this small town in southwestern France, its banks lined with centuries-old trading houses whose names appear on bottles worldwide. The old town clusters around Place François Ier, where Renaissance facades and half-timbered merchants' houses recall the era when Dutch traders first distilled local wines into eau-de-vie. Walking the narrow streets between the river and the covered market hall, you encounter a particular atmosphere: the scent of evaporating spirit from the ageing cellars, the black fungus coating stone walls — a signature of towns where cognac matures in oak barrels.
Accommodation here tends toward the intimate rather than the grand. Several historic properties along the quays have been converted into refined guesthouses, while the surrounding Grande Champagne vineyards shelter estate stays where visitors wake to rows of ugni blanc vines. The dining scene reflects Charentais traditions — butter-rich preparations, local Marennes-Oléron oysters from the nearby coast, and everywhere the integration of cognac into sauces and desserts. Along Rue Grande and the streets near Saint-Léger church, bistros and wine bars serve the region's produce alongside flights of aged spirits.
