Visit The Charente

The Maison D'Hibou is situated in the Charente department in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region.  You will find a selection of wonderful french towns and villages within a 30 minute drive, where you can shop, kayak, visit a wine cave, walk, swim or simply take in the french way of life.

  • Beautiful Sunshine

    On average there is 40% more hours of sun than in the UK!

  • Uninterrupted views

    You can enjoy the vines and sunflowers as far as the eye can see.

  • Stargazing “à volonté”

    There is no air pollution so you can watch the stars all night long.

  • Cognac

    We are based in the heart of Cognac and Pineau de Charentes country.

  • Fantastic family outings

    Known as the "French Tuscany" there is so much to do outdoors.

Barbezieux

The nearest town is Barbezieux which is about 10 minutes drive away. Here you will find two larges supermarkets and a small shopping park. The town’s tourist office is situated in the old chateau. There are restaurants, cafes and shops plus a weekly market. Around and about you will find many small individual Cognac distillers where you can partake of the traditional “degustation” . Just call in and they will ply you with cognac and show you around their small vineyard and distillery – no appointment is necessary.

Why not visit a brocante which is a local street bric-à-brac market that pop up all over the place throughout the year.

Cognac

Cognac is about 25 minutes away, a vibrant town where the annual international jazz festival takes place in July.  Listed as a "Ville d'Art et d'Histoire" Cognac is a wonderful town to visit for its shops, restaurants and street cafes. It is also home to many of the famous Cognac houses including Hennessey which offers a great boat trip across the river to its distillery.

Jarnac

Then there is the town Jarnac built on the banks of the Charente. Spend a day with a picnic on the rivers edge. A huge length of riverbank affords the perfect spot to watch this beautiful river or have a paddle in the shallow waters or hire a canoe and tackle the mini rapids further along the bank. You can also take one of the guided tour boats which offer a beautiful tour along the river. Here too is Napoleon’s impressive Cognac house of “Courvoisier”. The large museum is situated right on the banks of the river where a huge glass wall affords a view of the hundreds of Cognac barrels stored there. Well worth a visit. There is a children’s area along the banks of the river and a nice café for lunch or dinner.

Angouleme

In the other direction is the historic centre of the Charente...  Angouleme – a charming mix of old and new where cobbled streets wind around the town in the old quarter where individual shops, cafes and restaurants abound. Something for all ages including bars and the old indoor food market for the gastronomes among you. This is the largest town in the department and well worth a visit. Situated on the Charente river, the main town is perched at the top of the ramparts with a stunning view over the whole department.

Bordeaux

Just over an hour away is the stunning city of Bordeaux, famous for its wine, stunning classic architecture and water side. A beautiful city to spend some time wandering or eating traditional French food, and tasting the wine of course. You won’t be disappointed with a trip to Bordeaux.

Close to Maison D'Hibou

Chez Dauve and Maison D’Hibou are set in a remote area in the small hamlet of Barret. . It's quiet and you will need a car if you want to explore. Having said that, you may choose just to enjoy the views and chill by the pool with a glass of wine and a good book. It’s a hard life but...you are on holiday after all.

It's not just us that think the Charanet is a wonderful place to spend time. Take a closer look at the Area Guide from About France.