Art and Culture in Cognac

Cognac
Major Cognac Producers:
CAMUS- COURVOISIER - HENNESSY- MARTELL - OTARD POLIGNAC REMY-MARTIN - RENAULT-BISQUIT.
These world famous Cognac houses organize visits of their distilleries and cellars, including group tastings.

Chateau d'Oiron
16th century château with sumptuous painted ceilings and galleries and numerous rooms dedicated to contemporary art.

Rochefort
18th century Military Harbor
A former military port with its 374 meter-long Royal rope factory and its dry dock where the French vessel "Hermione", Marquis de La Fayette's frigate, which served during the American War of Independence, is being rebuilt.

Royan
Historic Museum of the Royan Pocket
Royan, a city entirely rebuilt in the Fifties: it was razed by the Allies in the morning of January 5th, 1945 and liberated by the French troops of General de Larminat on April 15th. The "historic museum of the Royan Pocket" features the great moments of this period.

La Rochelle
Musee du Nouveau Monde
(New World Museum)
Located in an 18th-century townhouse, this museum is dedicated to the transatlantic trade and commerce between France and the New World.
 
La Rochefoucauld
Chateau de la Rochefoucauld
This 12th-century Renaissance château is entirely furnished and has a magnificent stairway, and a library of over 18,000 books

Les Tours du Vieux Port
The Tour of the Lantern, Tour de La Chaine and Tour St-Nicolas, former "doors" protecting La Rochelle during the 14th and 15th centuries, have been transformed into museums.

Le Marais Poitevin
A labyrinth of peaceful canals and secluded waterways lined with willow and poplar and adorned with orchids and waterlilies. The best way of exploring the network of waterways is to hire a flat bottomed boat for one or two hours which you can do with or without a guide.

Romanesque Art
Right across the region stand some 600 examples of the Romanesque sanctuary, a heritage which began around the 10th century. Monuments line the ancient route to Santiago de Compostella the most famous ones are Notre-Dame-la Grande in Poitiers with its beautifully carved facade,
Saint-Savin-sur Gartempe with its 11th century biblical frescoes protected by the world heritage organization UNESCO as well as the Saint-Pierre d'Aulnay de Saintonge,
a major example of Romanesque monuments.
 
Poitiers
Futuroscope
Ten kilometers north of Poitiers: the European park of the moving image houses in stunning architecture of crystal a great number of pavilions set in several acres of beautiful parkland and lakes. Mesmerising images of its giant screens and 3D images.

Angouleme
Le Centre National de la Bande Dessinee (Cartoon museum)
Entirely dedicated to the art of the cartoon: works and original strips- 250,000 albums and magazines.
 
Bougon
Musee des Tumulus (Tumulus Museum)
A rich collection of prehistoric archeological objects, including exhibition of Neolithic burial mounts (5,000 B.C.).