Poitou-Charentes is a peaceful and largely unspotted region located at the middle of the west coast. It has pretty marinas, bustling resorts as well as excellent sandy beaches.  There are a number of good-looking islands like nineteen-mile extensive Ile d’Oleron that is popular with the naturists. Oyster catching is the main industry in Ile d’Oleron. The Ile de Re is known for their salt marshes as well as lots of hours of sunlight. The mainland Royan in the southern tilt of the region is busy renovating their tourist resorts. With their pretty enjoyable interior as well as mild climate, it’s a good place for a permanent or second home.

The inland portion of Poitou-Charentes also has plenty to offer. The marshes of the Marais Poitevin are frequently called France’s Venice. The lush and serene expanse fields are explored by means of a kayak or rowing boat that goes down the canals which were assembled by eleventh century monks. Next to the Poiters is the Futuroscope Theme Park where special effects and cinema are pushed into their limit in order to attempt to take a glimpse of the future in image technology whilst providing a learning experience.

Poiou-Chanentes is an administrative region in the Middle Western France including four departments such as Deux-Sevres, Vianne, Charente and Charente-Maritime. The local capital of Poitou-Charentes is Poitiers.

The Poitou-Charentes region has beautiful sandy coastline pine forests that stretch to the internal valley of Charente river and Marais Poiteven that is famous for their “poplar gloves”. The amphitheatre and arch at Saites is where you will find the remnants of the Holy Roman Empire. The harbors of Rochefort and La Rochelle are the prettiest cities in France but the rates in these areas get a little expensive.

Old cultural traditions are preserved in Poitou-Clharentes and still given villages and cities their rhythm. The picturesque and colorful markets still play an active role into the economy of the region.  Theatre folkloric presentations, sporting events and art exhibits added into the life of the region.

Politics

The regional council of Poitou-Charentes is composed of about 56 members. The location of this council is the house of France’s losing presidential contender of the Socialist Segolene Royal Party in the 2007 election.

Demographics

The residents in this French region are known as Picto-Charentes.  In the year 2003, the region ranked 15th place out of 26 in terms of the regional population. Moreover, the region’s area is ranked 12th place in size.

There are three regional languages in Poitou-Charentes such as Limousin, Saintogeais and Poitevin that the majority of people speak.

Poitou is supposed to be chosen as the “region of origin” in the majority of the Cajun as well as Acadian population of New Brunswick, Louisiana and North America. Their ancestors move abroad from the region in 17th as well as 18th centuries.

These French immigrants from the Poitou settled in the Eastern Canada and created a maritime as well as agricultural economy like fishing and farming. This region of the “New World” was called Acadia by the French subsequent to the Greek Acadian. The Greek Acadian is the peaceful part of the Peloponnesian Peninsula in Greece and renamed Nova Scotia in the outcome of the 1755 explosion.

History

Poitou is a significant region in the West Central portion of France. Poiters is the previous capital of the region and the chief city that rivals the harbor of La Rochelle in economic importance.  Farming is significant to the economy of corn, wheat and livestock that are raised in this region. Industries manufacture chemicals, machinery as well as diary products. The Pictavi is a garlic tribe and the region’s first known inhabitants were occupied in 56 BC by the Romans who included the area into Gaul as a part of the Aquitania province.  The Visigoth sized the area in 418 AD, other than passed to the Franks in 507. In the year 732 or year 733 Charles Martel brings the Muslim attack of Western Europe to a decline by his victory in the Battle of Poiters. From the 10th century to the mid-12th century the count of Poitou and the dukes of Aquitaine as well as the city of Poiters grew in importance.

In 1152 the Poitou came under the English control through the marriage of Henry II king of England   to Eleanor of Aquitaine. The area was reunited together with the French crown in 1416 and a province of France is up to now under renovation. In the year 1789 up to 1795 the region was divided into three departments such as Deux-Sevres, Vendee and Vienne.

The charge in the coastal department of Charente-maritime has doubled in the past decade. It is the most sophisticated among the all departments.

Cognac Country Bicycle Tour in Poitou-Charentes

Cognac county bicycle tour in the Poitou-Charentes is an unexpected tour. One of the amazing highlight of this bicycle tour is the visit of the Hermoine, a ship linked to the legend of LA Fayette.  This bicycle tour is also about discovering a diversified and peaceful countryside together with its rich heritage of traditions, architecture and history.  The tour offers a six-night accommodation in a delightful three star hotel with free all breakfast (except on the first day), all dinners (excepts on the seventh days), luggage transfers, free cognac tasting as well as local, emergency and tour assistance. The distance for bicycle tour on the 2nd day would be 2.55 kilometers, on 3rd day is 51 kilometers with an optional ride plus 12 kilometers, 4th day is about 35 kilometers, 5th day is resting day for the cycles and the last day has a distance of 50 kilometers. The prices for the winners are TBA and the winner will receive a price in Euros for each person and single supplement.

The Poitou-Charentes region is split up into the following departments

• Charentes Department: The main town of this department is Cognac, Confolens and Angouleme.
• Vienne department: Main town is Poiters, Montmorillo and Chatellerault.
• Charenete-Maritime: It includes La Rochelle, Saintes, Jonzac, and St.-Jean-d’Angely as a main town.
• Deux-Severs Department: This department has a main town such as Nitort, Parthenay and Bressuire. 

Poitou-Charentes Population

Population: 1,640,068

Major Communities in the Poitou-Charentes

• La Rochelle
• Angouleme
• Bressuire
• Cogac
• Chatellerailt
• Nirot
• Rochefort
• Saites
• Royan 
• Poiters