La Flotte - Things to do and see
Facilities
at La Flotte include
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Swimming
pool with child security fence (click picture to see more views) |
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Table
Tennis |
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Badminton |
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Boules |
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Lots of space for ball games and general play |
| Apart from simply relaxing at La Flotte (and it is very peaceful) or making use of our facilities there are lots of things to do and see in and around the local area. The Port at Mortagne (about a mile away) is very pretty and has excellent restaurants along the waterfront. There are several other restaurants only minutes away. | |
| The town of Mortagne is just a mile away and has restaurants, bakers, butchers and a small but incredibly well stocked Coop. |
Sporty and leisure (+ table tennis, badminton and boules at La Flotte)
Kiddies attractions - usually the pool, games facilities, the beaches, and loads of space to run around in are plenty, but if you want a special trip out to entertain the young ones then there is a zoo up the coast at La Palmyre (large and spacious but busy on a dull day!), the aquarium at La Rochelle and a bit further away the impressive Futuroscope at Poitiers. And then there's the . . .
| Beaches - The nearest beaches are 15-20 minutes up the
coast at Meschers - these are small coves with safe sandy beaches. Another 5 minutes further up are the huge sweeping beaches of St George and Royan, each with loads of space and some watersports and full safety patrols.
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Cycling - There is great cycling straight from La Flotte with miles of quiet country lanes. Hilly to the south of us and less so to the north. Up on the Cote Sauvage there are also some superb cycle tracks.
Walking - Again great walks from the door.
Golf - good courses at Saintes, Cognac and especially Royan
| Fishing - The lake at the end of our grounds is packed with fish and is privately owned (and hence quiet) and we have arranged for fishing rights with the farmer who owns it. Also there is great sea fishing and there are other public fishing lakes. |
Tennis - Mortagne has a tennis court which is hardly ever used and in good condition.
Windsurfing - one of Richard's passions (and one of the reasons we are in the Charente) - some hot spots nearby and if everything is quiet Richard will happily get wet with you.
Wildlife - birdwatchers in particular will be particularly happy. In one week this year some of our guests saw (apart from common birds) black kites, hen harriers, goshawks, herons, storks, hoopoes, pied flycatchers, kingfishers and redstarts. We also have wild boar, deer and hares although all of these are a little shy.
Places to visit (alcoholic)
Cognac - well worth a trip for the town but throw in a tour or too around the distilleries and the day flies by!
St Emillion - a popular trip out to see a beautiful town and some good wine tours.
Bordeaux - an impressive city plus possibly the world's most important wine centre.
Bordeaux and Medoc wine towns - well worth a bit of a tour and the odd case or two.
Pineau Charentes houses - Pineau is a local speciality being an aperitif wine fortified with Cognac. Our neighbours on two sides have free degustation with no obligation to buy (although it is difficult to resist).
Other places to visit
Saintes - an old Roman city complete with amphitheatre and a collections of old churches and abbeys. Also some good shops and an excellent market daily.
Royan - as well as having a massive beach Royan has good shopping with an excellent market.
La Rochelle - very pretty old town and port with superb shopping and restaurants. The indoor food market is particularly luscious.