Description:

Geography and Transport

Brossac is a village (commune area of21.84km²) situated in the south of the Charente Department (alt 75-184m), close to the borders with both Charente Maritime and Dordogne (Aquitaine).  It is 55km (32mi) from the departmental capital Angouleme, and the nearest larger town is Barbezieux Saint Hilaire which is 18km (11mi) away.  The town stands on the D731 between Chalais and Barbezieux, the latter giving access to the RN10 and Angouleme.  The village has no direct rail access, but access to the TER regional rail network is available at both Chalais and Barbezieux.  The nearest airport is at Angouleme, but Bordeaux Merignac airport is also an option from here (94km/1h10mins).
See also:  Chalais, Barbezieux St Hilaire

Climate

The climate here is Maritime, with hot summer daytime temperatures of between 24C and 27C (13C to 15C night).  May and September also provide warm daytime temperatures (between 20C to 23C), with nights dropping to 10C to 12C.  Winter temperatures are typically 9C to 11C (3C to 4C night).  Wettest months are Oct, Nov and Dec (52mm to 59mm), and driest are Feb, Mar, July and Aug (32mm to 33mm).  Brossac is part of a zone which receives over 2000 hours of sunshine per year.

Tourism

Brossac and the surrounding Canton has many nature and wildlife attractions at hand, with the forest area to the south and west, and the Champagne country to the north.  The Canton has six separate recognised zones of interest, where it is possible to see many rare species of wild plants and animals.  In Spring, conditions here make it ideal for orchids, and around 25 species can be observed whilst walking the many trails around the area.  There are twelve Romanesque churches dotted around the Canton.

There are around 50km of cycle paths available around Brossac, and amongst other modes of transport available are Llamas and quad bikes.  There are a number of opportunities for fishing, and there is a 3ha manmade lake with a beach at the Etang Vallier, which also offers kayaking, windsurfing and a childrens play area, as well as a restaurant.  Each year in May, the village hosts the Challenge Inter Trials (cross country running).

Economy

Brossac is part of the Sud Charente economic zone, which has an unemployment rate of 8.8%, compared against the regional rate of 8.6% and the national rate of 9.1% (INSEE 2006).

Facilities

Brossac has basic shops,  a supermarket and swimming pool can be found in nearby Chalias (10)km.

Education

The village has a state primary school, but for secondary education, the nearest school is at Chalais.  There is a college (Lycee) at Barbezieux Saint Hilaire.

Key Stats

A large proportion of properties here are classed as second homes (24.2%). There are more people aged 60 or over than the national average (35.1% vs 21.3%), and the number of retired people is also higher (30.5% vs 18.2%). There are fewer males than females resident here (49.9% vs 50.1%).  The percentage of people below the age of 19 is lower than the national average (20% vs 24.6%).

Key Facilities and Services:

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