These 3 villages in Charente-Maritime will seduce you with their unique charm

It is a pretty village perched on a cliff in a bend of the Charente, whose houses line the river. Saint-Savinien is best explored on foot, its narrow, winding streets being difficult to navigate by car. This village, all its height and levels, attests to its rich past as an active port since the ^13th century. From here, cut stone was shipped from nearby quarries, all across Europe, from London to Antwerp. The village was also an important river crossroads for the transport of wines, wood, and cereals produced in the hinterland. Today, it is primarily a haven for artists and artisans who welcome the public into their galleries or workshops.

Saint-Sauvant

This beautiful medieval village perched on a cliff overlooks the Coran Valley. It can be reached on foot along the GR, via Saint-Césaire, after passing old mushroom farms and former troglodyte dwellings dug into the rock. The signposting leads to the Saint-Sylvain church, in the heart of Saint-Sauvant. A green-signposted trail allows you to discover the town's heritage, whose charming alleyways have retained their medieval layout, a washhouse-fountain, and an 11th ^- century defensive tower, attesting to the village's economic importance in the Middle Ages. A medieval garden has also been recreated at the foot of the cliff.