Visit ruffec city

The "Pays du Ruffecois" between Poitiers et Angoulême, Cognac et Confolens offers to the visitors a panel of tradition and history, a real symphony for the senses.

A good time in the Charente has a taste of freedom and happiness.
The landscape welcomes you to a peacefull stay.

The heart of the countryside invites you and your family to share moments of happiness in pure simplicity.

The area is one of the richest counties in France in terms of Romanesque architecture (wich resulted from the changeover from Roman empire to Christian civilisation)

From the neolithic until the 21th century, the visitor can get a general view of 40 000 years of history and know how, testimony of the artistic talent of the people who emigrated in the area.

This tradition is still continuing now : painters, sculptors, glass makers whom you can visit their studios…Gardens and festivals wich are passionating appointements with the natives.

Build on a hill on the banks of the Charente, the city is situated in the center of "Angoumois" and "Poitou".

In the past, Ruffec was known for its cheese and culin.

A nice walk to be done in the old area with its narrow streets with houses with wooden section of wall and the St André church (XVth).

The old washhouse, the mill dominated by the remains of the old castle and its precinct will drop you into the past time of this quiet city. Around Ruffec, a lot of small and pretty villages receive you for nice stroll (Barro, Bernac, Condac)

The Ruffecois region is wealthy in archeological sites.
3 of them propose, all the year round, educational activities, training courses, subject visits… for children and adults.

• Gallo roman villa of Embourie
  Vestiges of a gallo roman villa, occupied from the 1st century BC to the 5th AC
  Archeological exhibition in July and August
• Prieuré de Tusson
  Built at the beginning of the 12th century, this monastery has the peculiarity to have been managed by a woman abbess in charge ofa female and male congregation.
• The abbey of Saint Amant de Boixe.
  One of the most beautiful examples of medieval architecture in the county.

During the 12th century, four main axes were registered but the pilgrims could take a lot of secondary routes. One of these passed througt Angoulême.
The Charente’s routes, more straight than those passing by Tours, were hardly taken.
Coming from Charroux, the road was crossing the ‘ruffécois’ area from north to south.
There were four ‘Jacquaire’ stops in the Charente among which three were situated in the ruffecois area.

• Nanteuil en Vallée:
  Medieval abbey (monastic order of Saint-benoît), gothic church.
• Tusson:
  Remains of the fontevrist priory, the gothic church, consacred to saint-Jacques and it’s contemporary wall paintings, the medieval monastic garden, the Marguerite of angoulême’s logis
• Saint Amant de Boixe:
  Very important medieval abbay,church, cloister, refectory, kitchen, cellar of 300 m2.

Nearly 1000 castles, chateaux and manor houses are counted in the county ; 35 of them are open to the public.

Each of them will tell you about a part of the Charente history

• The castle of Bayers ( Bayers 16460)
  Guided visits during July and August from 2 pm to 6 pm
  Tél : 05.45.22.54.94
  A XII and XV centuries castle , dominating the Charente valley, completely renovated by its actual owners.
• The castle of Saveille (Paizay-Naudouin-Embourie 16240)
  Free visits : the exteriors only, from the 16th of july to the 1st week end of september.
  A XVI and XVI centuries chateau, surrounded by moats
• The castle of La Rochefoucauld
  Built from a fortress, it is an anthology of 7 centuries of architecture, this chateau has belonged to the La Rochefoucauld family , for over a thousand years and is still home to one member of the family to day.