The Saintonge

The ideal place to recharge your batteries in Charente-Maritime

The south of the Charente Maritime around Saintes is known as the province of Saintonge, and is characterised hills and valleys

Saintes is the historic capital of the Saintonge and remains today the main cultural and economic centre of a natural and varied region.​

The pilgrimage way to Santiago de Compostela

Crossed by many rivers, the Saintonge is a fertile and prosperous land. Discover the various rivers and their history - the Charente, of course, which gives its name to the département, but the Boutonne and the Seugne are just as beautiful.

Discover a rich historical and cultural heritage, including the Saint-Pierre-de-la-Tour church in Aulnay-de-Saintonge, the church of Varaize and the priory of Saint-Jean-l'Évangéliste in Trizay. You'll find remains of the Middle Ages and even Roman times in these small towns.

One of the four pilgrimage ways to Saintiago de Compostella crosses the Saintonge from North to South, through: Aulnay-de-Saintonge, Saint-Jean-d'Angély, Saintes, Pons and Mirambeau.

The region is also part of the famous Cognac vineyard, recognized throughout the world.

The Saintonge, a sunlit country between the sky and the sea

Alongside the Côte d'Azur and parts of the Pyrenees, the Charente-Maritime has one of the highest annual sunshine rates (1,600 hours per year in La Rochelle).

To stay in the Saintonge is to choose relaxation. It is an ideal place to sit back and watch the world go by. The Saintonge is a coastal region that includes the largest island in the Charentes, the Ile d’Oléron, a must-see for holidaymakers.​