Les Lapidiales sculpture park
Driving from Îlé de Ré and Cognac we pulled into Les Lapidiales, a sculpture park in a former quarry. Still being added to, if you are lucky you might see one of the artists at work as they chisel imaginative and fantastical images from rock faces and boulders. We walked among figures, massive stone heads that peered from overhangs and hidden mythical creatures. The newer carvings were brilliant white and the greenery on the older sculptures mirrored the surrounding forest. Many of the works made an impact but the barefoot woman boldly looking back as she climbs a staircase into the rock particularily spoke to me, as the woman’s eyes seemed to say, ‘Follow me!’
Cognac: City of Taste
Like many people, for us Cognac conjures up the world-famous spirit and exploring the city it was clear it leans on this beverage’s reputation considerably. There is, however, more to Cognac and we were here because La Flow Vélo, a 290 kilometres (180 miles) cycle route, follows the River Charente through Cognac.
Leaving our bikes near the riverside Cognac warehouses we walked through the city gates and climbed streets of polished cobbles that gleamed in the sunshine. In the city centre elegant squares and handsome houses festooned with sweet-scented roses oozed taste and prosperity. We had coffee in the square and bought fresh bread and cheese for a picnic lunch by the duck pond in the central park.
Walking among the Cognac cellars in the afternoon heat we spotted the familiar names of Hennessy and Martell and I was soon intoxicated by the alcohol-rich air. Tempted into a bar we sipped elegant glasses of Pineau des Charentes Blanc, a heady aperitif of white wine and Cognac that immediately became a firm favourite.
Jarnac and a Cognac Tour
We planned to stay a few days in Cognac to make the most of the cycling but that evening the campsite suffered a plumbing incident that flooded the shower block and there was no hot water! Undeterred, we moved our campervan the next morning just half-an-hour upstream to Jarnac, still on La Flow Vélo. In France, no one bats a Gallic eyelid when you arrive at a campsite at ten in the morning and we were soon bowling along the Charente on two wheels.
The mainly traffic-free riverside paths and tracks through woodland, meadows and vineyards were blissful and easy cycling. We sat on a bench looking over the clear water of the Charente having lunch while red kites soared overhead, a deer peaked through the trees and swallows skimmed over the water hunting insects as a kingfisher streaked by.
From the leafy edge-of-town campsite we could stroll into Jarnac across a breathtakingly picturesque quay with locks and watermills, or potter around the adjacent island park and nature reserve alive with dragonflies. In the small shopping area we bought delicious French pastries and scrumptious handmade chocolates shaped like cobble stones.
Among the streets of typical Charente houses was the family home of the station master whose clever fifth child, François Mitterrand, was French President from 1981 until 1995. The pinacle of Jarnac’s elegance is the extravagant riverside Maison Courvoisier built in the 19th century Parisian style. There are a number of Cognac houses in Jarnac but Courvoisier has centre stage and an English tour the next day was a fitting finale to our time in this region.
Cycling before drinking Cognac was sensible and the next morning we pedalled southeast along La Flow Vélo to Châteauneuf-sur-Charente. The Charente sparkled in the sunshine and the cycling was almost effortless as we followed tracks connecting rustic farmhouses. A short climb raised the heart rate and swung us away from the river to Bassac, a charming village of stone houses and a former Benedictine monastery.
Back in Jarnac, our Courvoisier guide spoke excellent English, impressed us with her knowledge of British novels and shared our passion for the Lake District. She led us into shadowy rooms stacked with barrels where I savoured the fiery aromas of maturing Cognac, each cask chalked with its pedigree. Courvoisier’s logo is a silhouette of Napoleon Bonaparte and the story is that Napoleon took several barrels of Courvoisier to his exile on Saint Helena.
As our guide described the soils and the Cognac year, we learnt about the local grapes and the complex blending process to produce consistent quality. The tour finishes with a tasting of three different Cognacs, beginning with the VS (very special) Cognac served in a long cocktail. The neat Cognacs were poured reverently into tulip-shaped glasses to intensify the bouquet. After the VSOP (very special old pale) we finished with the XO (extra old) which came with a square of dark chocolate and had an intense rich flavour of earthy dried fruits.
We left with new respect for Cognac, the drink and the area, and a new favourite aperitif in pineau des Charentes blanc.
We stayed at:
Camping de Cognac – a great campsite (when they don’t have a water problem) not far from the town centre.
Camping L’ile Madame – a green campsite only 10 minutes walk from the town and quiet out of season.
Both were offering discounts with the ACSI card when we visited.
Back on the road again 