Description:

Geography and Transport

The Charente Department is the south eastern segment of the Poitou Charentes Region, bordering the Haute Vienne (Limousin) to the east, the Dordogne (Aquitaine) to the south.  The neighbouring departments of Vienne (86) and Deux Sevres (79) are situated to the north, and Charente Maritime (17) is situated to the west.  The key arterial routes through the department are the RN10 (north-south), which has significant stretches of motorway (notably around Angouleme), and the RN141 (east-west) which carries traffic between Cognac - Angouleme - Limoges (Limousin).

Whilst there is a regional rail network operating (TER) that links a significant number of towns, the department has access to the TGV (high speed train) which carries passengers between Paris and Brussels in the North, and Bordeaux/Hendaye in the South.  The TGV stops at both Ruffec and, more frequently, Angouleme.  The department has a commercial airport at Brie/Champniers, and this was recently upgraded (new commerce and extended runway) and re-named Angouleme (Cognac) ready for the introduction of budget airline routes to the UK from early 2008.  Prior to this, options by air were via La Rochelle, Poitiers, Limoges, Bordeaux and Bergerac.

Climate

Whilst Charente is inland, its climate is driven by the Atlantic Ocean, and this results in warm (often hot) summers and cool (but not excessively cold) winters.  There is little difference between average temperatures across the department, although there can be significant differences in average rainfall.

Tourism

The beautiful and picturesque Vienne River sweeps through the north east of the region via Confolens, but it is the River Charente which plays a more prominent part in the Department, winding its way down via Ruffec to Angouleme which is its most inland navigable point.  The River has historically played a major role as a trade route for the movement of salt and cognac, but now provides many superb opportunities for tourism.

Charente may be famous for the Charentaise Slipper, Cognac and Pineau des Charentes, but there is a great variety of things to see and do here for visitors.  Picturesque lakes and rivers for outdoor pursuits like fishing, swimming and canoeing, historic buildings and monuments, pretty villages, spectacular castles, wildlife, tranquil walks and cycle paths, rolling countryside and events as diverse as rock concerts, comic strip festivals, folk festivals, hot air ballooning and classic car racing.  

The most popular attractions (statistically) in the Charente are the Cognac Houses, the Monolithic Church of Aubeterre-sur-Dronne, and the Museum of the Comic Strip in Angouleme, whilst by far the most popular event was the Comic Strip Festival in Angouleme (2007).  Using data for nights spent in hotels and camping, tourism was actually up 3.6% in 2007, and of the foreign visitors to the Charente, British people made up over 74% of the total (15% were British living in the department already). 

Economy

Major companies in the Charente are Cognac Houses like Hennessy, Remy/Cointreau and Martell, but in addition Leroy Somer (manufacturing/engineering), Schnieder Electric and Auchan (supermarkets) also have a sizeable presence. 

Key Stats

As with the whole of the Poitou Charentes region, Charente has a bigger proportion of older people than younger people (22% of the population is under 20 years, and 25% is over 60 years).  There are more males than females here (51% vs 49%), and this does not match the national picture.  5.5% of homes here are classed as second homes (less than the national average).