Local Area Information
La Petite Ferme Gites have the relaxed tranquillity of a gite in the French countryside but with the benefits of being in an active little village. A two minute walk to get your freshly baked baguettes and pastries from the "épicerie" (village shop) in the morning or to pick up supplies for the day. The épicerie serves breakfast, hot drinks and freshly baked pizza and stocks a range of locally produced products and delicatessen items. Bread and pastries can be ordered in advance, ensuring you have a delicious fresh French breakfast
The Chateau de Dampierre is a beautiful renaissance chateau open to the public, with stunning gardens to walk through. They offer daily guided tours, as well as allowing you to freely explore by yourself. Throughout the year they have a range of art exhibitions and musical events. Information on upcoming events can be found at https://www.chateaudampierre.fr/
The river Boutonne flows through the village and around the chateau. Fishing, hiking and cycling are all accessible in the village. We can give you information on local routes and fishing spots. We can arrange bike and canoe hire or fishing trips.
In the summer Dampierre is lucky to have a small brocante (antique shop), an art exhibition displaying work of local artists, a community shop of local artisans selling their products and a second-hand clothes shop. It is a vibrant but tranquil village.
An 8 minute drive away is Aulnay, a charming little market town, with bars, restaurants, shops, twice weekly market and large supermarket (Intermarche). While the larger, lovely market town of Saint Jean D'Angely is a 15 minute drive. Here you will find a number of supermarkets, bars, restaurants, twice weekly market, Abbey and a cinema as well as a range of leisure activities such as karting, boating, canoeing and swimming. Both towns are on the Santiago De Compostela pilgrimage trail and have stunning churches and other historic buildings to visit. There are very helpful tourist information offices in both towns.
During the summer there are a number of free evening concerts and food events in the local villages open to all. We will keep you informed on what activities are happening locally during your stay
3 miles away is the world famous Asinerie du Baudet du Poitou (Poitou Donkey Farm) home of the rasta donkeys, and Zoodysee wild life park in Chize is a 15 minute drive away.
Water sports, including paddle boarding, water skiing, kayaking and canoeing are a 25 minute drive away
We are ideally situated within a 60 minute drive of a number of historic and beautiful towns and a range of activities. The stunning Atlantic Coast is definitely worth a visit. La Rochelle with its medieval streets, world famous port with its plentiful harbour-side restaurants, bars and boutique shops, the perfect place to spend a day or evening, or to explore its vast summer markets. The city is home to an aquarium, maritime and several other museums. The beaches and marinas of Royan and Rochefort as well as a number of equally gorgeous, but lesser known beaches such as Fouras and Chatelaillon Plage are all less then a hour away.
There are several stunning islands to explore such as the famous and exclusive Île de Ré, the less well known, but equally as lovely islands of Île d’Oléron and Île d'Aix or even a boat trip to see the famous Fort Boyard.
Stunning Charente towns worth a visit include Cognac, home of the world famous cognac houses of Martell, Hennessy and Remy Martin, which all offer tours & tastings. The city also has an 18 hole golf course, historic castles, museums, abbeys and churches. Jarnac, Cognac's smaller neighbour is a beautiful riverside town and home of Courvoisier. Saintes, Niort, and Angouleme are great towns for culture, sights and shopping.
The Marais Poitevin, the Green Venice of France, is a great day out for boat trips and cycling. It is the second largest wet land area in France, where you can chose to hire boats or bikes or go on a guided tour along the waterways. The capital of the Marais Poitevin is Coulon where you can enjoy a leisurely lunch in the beautiful town square
We have produced an on-line guide book, which we e-mail out in advance of you trip and provide each gite with information on the local area and have range of maps including cycle and walking routes that we can share with you.
La Petite Ferme Gites is the ideal place to relax and unwind and enjoy the tranquillity of the beautiful Charente Maritime, but there is plenty to do and lots to see in the area for those who want to explore.
