Saint-Savinien-sur-Charente is one of the most picturesque villages in Roman Saintonge. Climbing a rock buttress on the banks of the River Charante the village affords nice views and provides some good places to stand.
Saint-Savinien-sur-Charente
Saintes
Saintes an historic town in southwestern France, in the Charente-Maritime department. In Roman times, Saintes was known as Mediolanum Santonum, and during much of its history, the name of the city was spelled Xaintes.
Royan and The Coast of Beauty
A little mish mash today – all taken on a cycle ride along the “cote de beaute” between St-Palais-sur-Mer and Royan.
Charrelets – Belle Epoque Architecture – and that Catherdral again.
Wow !
The most striking building in the French coastal city of Royan is undoubtedly the Cathedral (église Notre-Dame) – it stands on the site of a former neo-gothic church that was destroyed in 1945 (as was much of Royan). Designed by architects Guillaume Gillet and Marc Hébrard and built between 1955-58 entirely of concrete, it is considered one of the leaders of French contemporary architecture.
Citadelle de Brouage
Founded around 1555 Brouage was at first the centre for European salt trading, before it became a military base under the drive of it’s governor: Richelieu. It was once the most impressive sea-port of France and Louis XIV, today the bastion lies some distance “inland” surrounded by brackish marshes and provides some interesting photographic opportunities although is perhaps best appreciated from the air.
Talmont sur Gironde
15 kilometres south of Royan, Talmont sits on a rocky peak overlooking the Gironde estuary.
Carrelets
Dotted along the banks of the Gironde Estuary are circa 400 wooden fishing huts which have been built on stilts. Their main implement is a square pulley-operated net (or “filet carré”) which has given the humble shacks their name “carrelets”.
La Grande Roue
Big and Round – and on the seafront at Ronce-les-Bains on a sunny and busy Sunday afternoon. Only one approach to such a subject – Fisheye of course.
Creeks of the Seudre
The brackish marshes north and south of the Seudre are a maze of small creeks and villages built on the local oyster farming industry. The blue skies contrast nicely with the green marsh of this Atlantic region of France with the creeks and boats old and new making good photographic subjects along with some fine villas and the colourful sheds of the oyster farmers.
Huitres
Huitres (Oysters) are a favourite of the French – the marshes around the river Seudre and L’ile d’Oleron in the Charentes Maritime are awash with the small scale infrastructure used to raise and harvest the mollusc.
A Good Place to Stand 