If you want a quick version of this article, without having to read all the detail. It goes something like this. Charente and Charente-Maritime are good places to live in France because: one of the sunniest places in France, great coastline, cheaper to buy than Dordogne, lovely green countryside, lots of nice towns and villages, easy access to Paris, Île de Ré, a couple of low cost airports, La Rochelle, Cognac brandy, 5 hour drive to St Malo & Cherbourg ferry ports and there are 10 good towns/areas to be based in. There you go! Read on if you want the detail.

So if you are not familiar with the geography of France, it goes something like this. Mainland France is split up into 13 regions (which are like states or provinces). Within each region, there are a number of counties or districts, which are called departments. The South-Western corner of France, along the Atlantic coast, is occupied by the region called Nouvelle-Aquitaine, which has its capital in Bordeaux. Within the region of Nouvelle-Aquitaine, there are 12 departments, of which Dordogne is probably the most well-known. Above Dordogne and towards the coast, there are 2 departments called (quite confusingly), Charente and Charente-Maritime. In this article, I will refer to both of these areas as "The Charentes", mainly because it is quicker to write than "The Charente and Charente-Maritime" and from a landscape perspective, they are both quite similar, with rolling hills, vineyards, and lush green landscapes.  They also share a common climate and cuisine (La cuisine charentaise).

Île de Ré, Charente-Maritime

I really do feel that this area of France will become one of the top destinations for people moving to France over the next 10 years. We have lived in the South of France for the last 20 years and unless you are a tinfoil MAGA bore, then you cannot deny that climate change is real. We now regularly have weeks from June to August where the temperatures exceed 40°C/104F. In the past, you may have got heatwaves like this every 3 years or so. So, I think the South of France may begin to suffer as people realise it is simply becoming too hot. This is where the Charentes come into their own. The region is already the second most sunniest area of France (after Languedoc and Cote d'Azur, but without the soaring temperatures). The Charentes also enjoy very mild winters (compared to the cold of Brittany or Normandy), with only moderate amounts of rainfall (unlike the wet winters of Dordogne). There are 130kms of Atlantic coastline that already attracts thousands of visitors each year to areas such as Royan and the Île de Ré.

Rochefoucauld castle, Charente

Also, apart from a few hotspots, the property prices in the Charentes are still very affordable. On top of this, the Charentes have an excellent transport network, with two low cost airports at La Rochelle and Limoges providing quick access to the UK & Ireland; and the TGV train services from Angoulême and La Rochelle that enable you to reach Paris in just over 2 hours. On top of that, the ferry ports at Saint Malo and Cherbourg enable you to reach the Charentes in just over 5 hours, compared to 9-10 hours down to the Languedoc region.

The Charentes have a rich gastronomy, with excellent seafood (especially the oysters from Marennes-Oléron), fresh cheeses, excellent fruit & vegetables (including the Chanterais melons), creamy Charente butter and its two famous exports, Cognac brandy and the equally smooth Pineau de Charente, a liqueur wine produced by the blend of crushed grapes and cognac brandy.

Currently, the Charentes remain a largely French tourist destination, with over 79% of tourists coming from other parts of France. But even with this restricted market, the Charentes still boasted 52 million night stays in 2024 and tourism currently supports nearly 26,000 jobs in the Charentes.

La Rochelle

The main city in the Charentes, is the port city of La Rochelle. In fact, I would say that it is one of my favourite cities in France, it is very pretty. La Rochelle is a university town, and it has a lovely harbour area, dotted with lots of restaurants and cafes. It has a real 'buzz' about the place. It is also a very big Rugby town with the local team Stade Rochelais enjoying a strong revival in recent years. The town holds an annual music festival in the summer, which is one of the biggest in France.

We recently spent a couple of nights in La Rochelle and we had a great time. It is a very friendly and safe place and there is a decent night-life and good shops and restaurants. There are lots of cobbled streets and old stone buildings, often built with arcades that extend out over the pavements. My only complaint about La Rochelle, is that in the 2 nights we were there, I never saw a pretty girl once. We must have gone to about 6-7 different bars over the 2 nights, but it was like a desert. There were lots of guys in the bars and my wife was 'people watching' quite a lot. Maybe that is why they are so passionate about their rugby in La Rochelle, it is the only distraction that they have!

Please don't do what I did and take a detour through the nearby town of Rochefort, thinking that it is going to be a smaller version of La Rochelle (charming port town). Yes it is a port (probably better to describe it as 'docks') and it is smaller than La Rochelle. But there the similarities end. It didn't help that it was raining, but this was not what I was expecting. Just a bit drab and down-at-heel.

Port Saint-Martin-de-Ré

Perhaps the other stand-out attraction in the Charentes, is the island of Île-de-Ré. Connected to La Rochelle by a 2.9km bridge, Ile de Ré is a popular summer holiday destination for well-to-do Parisiennes. The island is surrounded by sand dunes and leafy pine forests and whilst cars are permitted, the preference is given to cyclists with numerous cycle paths. This helps create a relaxing and slow-paced environment. Visitors enjoy the numerous markets and beautiful beaches.

What tends to attract foreign residents to the Charentes, is that compared to some other regions in France, property prices still remain relatively competitive. You also have quite a diverse range of property to choose from, including old farmhouses (built in the traditional Longère style), barn conversions, fix-a-uppers, townhouses and modern villas. The only thing I would say is please don't buy a remote farmhouse with outbuildings with the idea of running a gite business or yoga retreat. There are so many of these in France and locally, the market is already saturated. I think unless you are close to one of the 10 places I highlight below, you are going to struggle to make ends meet.

Angoulême, capital city of Charente department

There is always an assumption that people move to Charente, because they can't afford Dordogne. Yes, property prices here are a lot cheaper than Dordogne, but I think that there is more to it than that. Dordogne to me, is a bit like Provence. You cannot blanket the whole area as a Chocolate box paradise. There are interesting parts and there is a lot of 'space' in between. So when people talk about Dordogne, they are really talking about the area in the south of the Department, along the Dordogne river (taking in Sarlat, Monpazier, Bergerac and Eymet - which are all very pretty) and then a few other bright spots, like Brantôme and St Jean de Cole (in the centre of the department, just above Périgueux). After that, I am really struggling to suggest anywhere to be based.

Last week I drove up to Cognac, with a couple of stop-overs in Dordogne en-route. For some reason my Sat Nav decided to take me on country roads rather than the highway, so I drove up through the Western side of Dordogne and into the Gironde department (above Bordeaux) and then through the southern part of Charente-Maritime. When I say I was travelling on country roads, I think that my Sat Nav thought I was on horseback. We were literally driving on single track roads and in some places just tracks. So I got to see a lot of the countryside. Some of it was pretty, with nice rolling hills. But there were a lot of boarded up houses and small villages where you didn't see another soul. This was definitely what the French refer to as the "empty France". It wasn't until we got up to Jonzac and the area around Cognac, that you started to see a bit of life.

So in summary, Dordogne isn't a single, homogeneous paradise. Parts of it are pretty drab and not very interesting. And for your money, you are going to get a better bang for your buck in the Charentes. We spent a good few days driving all across the Charentes, from La Rochelle on the coast, over to Confolens in far North-East of Charente. We saw a lot of places and I have to say, we were very impressed. My overall sense was that it is very green, the people were very open and welcoming (and very proud to be Charentais), there is plenty of space and quite a lot to do and see. I found it to be very genuine, with no real airs and graces. From our trip, I would highlight these 10 places as worth exploring as areas to live in.

10 best places to live in the Charentes France

Across The Charente, I have highlighted 10 areas that I think are good places to live in France. I will explain my logic for nominating each town/area below, but in general terms, my selection rationale is as follows:

• Pretty places - I have gone for towns which are not only pleasant to spend time in, but also attract other visitors, which helps ensure the restaurants, shops and hotels are kept busy.
• Hub towns - the areas highlighted are home to important local services for the surrounding area such as hospitals, medical facilities, administrative centres, etc.
• Economic activity - most of the areas I have highlighted are 'working towns' where the economy keeps going all year around. These are not tourist villages which are packed for 2 months of the summer and then empty for the rest of the year.
• International community - where possible I have tried to include places that do have a mixed Ex-Pat community (rather than totally dominated by English people, like in Dordogneshire). Personally, I don't want to be stuck with other English people, but equally it is quite nice not to be totally isolated.

1. Royan - old seaside town

Royan was one of the first seaside resorts in France and boasts some of the most impressive beaches and coastline in France. Royan has a reputation for having friendly inhabitants, great restaurants and markets full of life. It is not a cheap place to live - if you want cheap, try Rochefort!

If you want to be based close to the coast in the Charentes, then Royan has to be your number one choice. It is not cheap to buy here (with prices only slightly less than La Rochelle).

2. Jonzac - a stunningly beautiful town

Jonzac really is a staggeringly beautiful town. We just happened upon it by accident, as we needed to buy petrol. What a find. The town is surrounded by vineyards. The castle dominates the town and provides a very pleasing entrance into the historic centre behind its walls. But this is not just a tourist site, there is a real town living and breathing behind the old buildings

A highlight for kids and adults alike is “La Base de Loisirs” a recreational park built around a lagoon, surrounded by a fine sand beach featuring picnic areas, fishing lakes, walking paths, a children’s play area and large grass lawns. For a city with such potential and life, house prices here are reasonable averaging 1380 € per m².

3. Saintes -

4. Sainte-Jean-d'Angely - pretty medieval town

5. Cognac - prosperous Brandy producing town

I have just come back from a visit to Cognac and I have to say, I was very impressed. Cognac is a prosperous town, built on the back of the local Brandy production (with famous names such as Hennesy, Martell, Remy Martin, etc). It is a good sized town of about 20,000 people and 

The town sits on the River.

I think what most impressed me as I drove around, is that the local villages all seem to have 'life' in them and they are generally well-maintained. You don't seem to find too many boarded up properties. The wealth from the brandy production has obviously trickled out to the surrounding areas.

Famous for its namesake brandy, Cognac is a charming town with elegant châteaux, distilleries, and scenic riverside walks.

Cognac farmhouse for long term rentals in Charente-Maritime

If you want to research Cognac and the surrounding area in more depth, then this pretty 3 bed farmhouse is a great rental option at €1250 per month + bills. See the property page for more details: Cognac farmhouse for rent

6. Jarnac - pretty market town

Situated along the banks of the Charente River, Jarnac is a quaint town with cobbled streets, riverside promenades, and historic landmarks.

Jarnac is home to the famous Courvoisier brand of Brandy.

While Cognac might seem the obvious choice, I’ve actually picked out the smaller town of Jarnac. Just 14km upriver from its better known neighbour and 30km from Angoulême, the pretty town is home to the famous Courvoisier brand and was the birthplace of the former French President François Mitterrand (you can visit his gravestone and a museum dedicated to him).

“With a history stretching back over 2,000 years, Jarnac remains a prosperous little town attracting many tourists,” explains Charles Miller. “It is officially designated as a ‘station verte’ – a holiday destination for outdoor activities such as canoeing, cycling and walking.”

“Property in Jarnac town centre is always popular with international buyers,” says Joanna Leggett. “Look out too for the adjacent riverside villages, such as Bourg-Charente with its Michelin-starred restaurant, Bassac, Vibrac and St-Simon, where you can take a river trip on an old ‘gabarier’ boat.

“Typically, you can pick up a four-bedroom townhouse in excellent condition for under €200,000 or a family house in the country with pool and views over the adjacent vines for between €300,000€350,000.”

7. Aubeterre-sur-Drôme - one of the prettiest villages in France

8. Rochefoucauld - with its famous Chateau

Home to the stunning Château de La Rochefoucauld, this charming town boasts historic architecture, scenic parks, and a relaxed pace of life.

The nearby city of Angoulême, is the capital of the Charente department is. It is a pleasant enough town, with a beautiful cathedral and a nice historic centre with cobble stone streets. But it doesn't really compare to La Rochelle in terms of things to do and the 'buzz' you get from being a port town and University city. Put it this way, I don't think that anyone has ever been recorded as dying from excitement in Angoulême.

La Forge cottage for long term rentals in Charente France

If you are interested in a house-hunting trip in the area around Angoulême, then this cosy 2 bedroom cottage for long term rentals is located in the small village of Agris, just 10 mins from Chateau de Rochefoucauld. The cottage is available for long term rentals between October and March from €750 per month + bills. See the property page for more details: La Forge cottage.

9. Ruffec - affordable place to buy

I am in two minds about Ruffec. We drove through it last summer and it is a pleasant enough town, with a good range of shops and supermarkets. We probably passed through prettier places on the way. Maybe I was expecting a bit more (and I am sure that the good people of Ruffec will now contact me to put me straight about what I am missing!!).

It is one of those places that originally attracted a lot of Ex-Pats during the 1990s and early 2000s, mainly because the house prices in the town and surrounding area were very good value (especially compared to Dordogne). And today, it seems to remain a popular place mainly because it has a lot of Ex-Pats living there. So it seems to be a bit of a self-fulfilling prophecy - it gets mentioned often as a place to buy in France, because a lot of Ex-Pats have bought there. 

I think what worries me a bit about Ruffec, is that if you look at it on the map, there are not a lot of places nearby. There are certainly no towns of a similar size or bigger within 30 mins drive. So Angoulême is a good 40 minute drive, Poitiers is just under an hour, Limoges airport is 1 hour 15 mins. So if you need a shop or a service (that is not provided in Ruffec) then you are always going to have a 1 hour 30 mins round trip to reach it. To a certain extent, you could also say the same thing about Jonzac (above) and Confolens (below), so maybe I am being a bit unfair to Ruffec. One massive plus about the town, is that it has its own train station with local train services to Poitiers and Angoulême, where you can pick up fast TGV trains to Paris and Bordeaux.

Ruffec is a decent sized market town (for rural France) which dates back to at least 995AD. The population of the town itself is 3,500, but including the surrounding villages, it serves a base of around 7,000 people. It does have a good range of services, including supermarkets, a cinema, theatre, leisure centre, a college and Lycée, restaurants and shops.

Verteuil-sur-Charente, close to Ruffec

There are also some very pretty places close to Ruffec, such as the riverside village of Verteuil-sur-Charente (above), Nanteuil-en-Vallée and the 12th Century Abbaye de Saint Amant de Boixe.

10. Confolens - pretty riverside town

Nestled in the heart of the Charente countryside, Confolens is known for its medieval architecture, picturesque bridges, and scenic beauty.

In the north-east of the department, Confolens is located where the Vienne and Goire rivers meet, and has many picturesque medieval buildings, a keep and two bridges. The small town gets very busy in summer months, especially during August’s Festival de Folklore, which attracts musicians and artists from all over the world.

Pretty spots near Confolens include St-Germain-de-Confolens, Chassenon and the lakes of Haute-Charente, offering watersports and sandy beaches.

“Arriving over the bridge spanning the Vienne river and seeing the town unfold before you is one of the most picturesque sights in this area, comments James Rolt. “The town is ideally located to benefit from flights to Limoges airport just over half an hour away and property prices in this area are incredibly attractive. A three-bed stone property with over an acre of land just outside the town is currently on the market for €141,000 while a farm complex with a four-bed house, outbuildings and small lake is €184,000.”

Joanna Leggett echoes this sentiment: “Our portfolio here is full of bargains – you can pick up a townhouse for under €100,000 or a five-bed barn conversion in the country for under €300,000.”

 Confolens house for long term rentals Charente France

If you are thinking of exploring Confolens in more detail, then this pretty 3 bedroom house with a large garden and parking is available for long term rentals between September to May from €900 per month + bills. More details can be found on the property page: Confolens house for long term Rentals