Domaine en Campagne

You’ve come along for the countryside outings, oui? Start by stretching your legs on a stroll around the Butte de Frochet nature area (five minutes’ drive), before heading out for a hilly hike in the Monts de Blond (20 minutes) – or a mountain bike ride on the many kilometres of cycle trail. If you’d like to mix in a bit of history with your hikes, head for the ancient standing stones at Menhir de Ceinturat (10 minutes), or wander around the reconstructed Gallic village of Coriobona (20 minutes) to see ancient crafts and construction in action. A taster of more recent rural life (classrooms, bakeries, farms and the like) can be had on a meander around Montrol-Sénard open-air village museum (10 minutes). Time for a sit down? Book a ride on the Charente-Limousine Railway from Confolens (25 minutes), or flop down on the beach at Saint-Pardoux Lake (45 minutes), where there’s also a watersports centre and adventure park for folk with energy to burn.