Welcome to grande champagne, heart of the cognac vineyards

Located halfway between the Atlantic coast and the closed forests of Périgord, Large the Champagne is a country of vineyard subjected to the discipline of the men, a country of men to the service of the vine.

It is especially a country of nature where you have pleasure of breathing the great outdoors by traversing the generous side of the slopes carved in fine a chalk campanienne on which wine alignments seem to be devoted to a merry part of leapfrog.

On foot, on horse or with VTT, ten hiking trails marked out square Grande Champagne and open to the adventurers modern times.

From one village to another, their ways buissonniers marry the small valleys and the peaks, with the discovery of a different panorama at each top, with each turning of a Romance church of a castle rebirth, a mill: with water on the river, with wind on the hill, of a fountain… or a driving porch towards one or the other of these mythical wine storehouses where tamed time is tasted in exquisite gulps.

Ambleville is situated at the Southern end of Segonzac in the most rural part of the region.

Crossing by the river Collinaud, a tributary of the Né, there are spectacular view of numerous windmills. The hillsides are mainly planted with vines though cereal crops are also grown on the fertile plains. The peat lands were well known at the start of the 20th Century for the peat used to fuel the distillery fires.

Heritage

Saint Peters Church dates from the 11th Century. It was altered and restored between the 14th and 16th Centuries and is now listed as an Historic Monument. The cemetery is situated next to the church as is typical of the region

Angeac-Champagne is situated in the Charente Saintongeaise area of the region. This commune is mainly made up of the boroughs of Angeac et Roissac and includes the hamlets of Bois d’Angeac and Ruisseau It is predominantly a grape producing area at the heart of the Grande Champagne region. The local distilleries are an major producer of brandy.

Heritage

The Roman church dedicated to Saint Vivien was built in the shape of a Latin cross and houses a beautiful Corinthian altarpiece. The castle at Roissac though medieval in origin, was rebuilt in the 18th Century and was an important seigneurie under the de Mortemer and La Rochefoucault families.

The fountain at Roissac is closely linked to the legend of Francois I who regularly hunted at the castle. This fountain has a small square aedicule topped by a dome, seven basins and is fed by an aqueduct.

The Commune of Criteuil-la-Magdeleine is situated right at the heart of the Grande Champagne region. Mainly a grape growing area, the grapes are reserved for the production of Cognac and Pineau, both justifiably renowned and which can be tasted directly at any of the local producers.

The undulating landscape is a favourite spot for bike rides with routes that follow the Né and Collinaud river valleys from the popular surrounding hills.

In the centre of the village, a specially equipped parking space for camping cars has been set up behind the village hall providing water and light for the comfort of passing visitors.

Heritage

Criteuil boasts a castle and three manor houses called The Logis. All that remains of the castle is a truncated tower found in the village of Logis de Luchet. The three logis are:

• Le logis de la Mothe,
• Le logis de l’Epine,
• Le logis du Maine Barbe now known as Barbe.

La commune s’étend sur une vaste plaine, humide, notamment à La Pallue. Le cours d’eau qui passe par Gensac reçoit les eaux d’un gouffre, situé à côté de l’église.

Le nord de la commune est desservi par la nationale qui est un lien entre Angoulême et Saintes. Cet axe routier favorise l’implantation d’entreprises économiques.

La commune possède plusieurs villages importants dont Les Six Chemins, les Barbotins, les Gascards, Soubérac et les Martinauds.

Patrimoine

L’église de Gensac se compose d’une nef à quatre coupoles. Le chœur date de la fin du treizième siècle. La façade est très riche en sculptures. Un médaillon représente Saint-Martin, patron de l’église.

Près du Chemin Boisné, le logis de l’Eclopart date du XVII° siècle

Juillac le Coq is situated 4 miles from Segonzac, the capital of the Grande Champagne region. The rolling hills are planted with the prestigious Ungi white grape as far as the eye can see. The area has the added advantage of a warm sunny climate with mild winters.

Heritage

Saint Martin’s church is a veritable treasure trove of regional Roman art. The church sanctuary dates from the 11th and 13th Centuries. The Church also boasts a magnificent short , wide, square, two story belfry. Inside you can see a beautiful example of the brass and leather covered baptismal fonts.

Next to the church you can see the ancient castle ruins of Julliac le Coq. All that remains of this once proud fortification is the main entry gate and adjoining polygonal turret. A few yards further on and you come across the entrance to the Logis de Frene which was built into the hillside dominating the beautiful winding road that runs from Juillac le Coq to Verrières.

From here you can also see the Chateau de Beauregard, a beautiful, privately owned building dating from the 18th Century. Please note that visitors are welcome but are asked to book in advance.

Saint Fort is a rural grape producing commune situated on the banks of the river Né and near to the main Bordeaux to Cognac road. The hills and dales are just part of the varied landscape that make Saint Fort such a pleasure to discover.

Heritage

A relic of the Neolithic era, the magnificent dolmen rises from the vines and must be on of the largest in the entire region. It is an impressive 23 feet long and over 15 feet wide and stands over 7 feet high. At over 3 feet thick it weighs in at an amazing 40 tonnes. Classified as an historical monument in 1983, the dolmen draw a large number of visitors throughout the year.

The Roman sections and the ribbed vaults are testament to the many reworkings of the original site of the church of Saint Anne. Almost entirely destroyed by the English during the 100 Year War, it is probable that it was the English who also rebuilt it. Dating from the 12th Century it is listed as an historical monument