After spending the first three years of our worldschooling, slow-travel lifestyle in South East Asia, France was our first stop in Europe! We were excited to land a three-month house-sit in a gorgeous home in rural Poitou-Charentes while the homeowners were in Australia. Those three months turned into seven months due to COVID. During our seven months in the area, we still got to enjoy plenty of what the region has to offer. Based on our time there with our two young girls, here are our top recommendations of things to do in Poitou-Charentes.
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General reflections from a traveler in the Poitou-Charentaise region of France
We had a very special time with the girls in Poitou-Charentes. We were lucky to be living right next to the woods and amongst many fields. Watching the seasons change was absolutely glorious, with the abundance of plants and wildlife. Some of our favorite experiences in rural France were very simple. We enjoyed picking wild berries from the roadside (they were almost everywhere we walked) and spotting wild deer running through the fields.
There were times when we didn’t seem to have caught on to how rural we were living. By default, we often head out on a Sunday as a family to explore and perhaps chill at a cafe. However, we kept forgetting that everything closes on Sunday afternoons in these parts.
Even big supermarkets (in the city) are closed by midday on Sunday. It used to be more like that in New Zealand when I was growing up. After a while, we realized that the best place for Sunday afternoon coffee and cake was at home. Otherwise, we could prepare early and take our own out with us!
I like the fact that things are not open all the time, though. And since we have complete flexibility with our work, we can go for coffee and cake on other days.
Things to do in Poitou-Charentes | Civray and Gencay area
Civray and Gencay were the closest main towns to where we were staying. Here are some of our favorite things to do in Poitou-Charentes that are in or near Civray and Gencay.
1. Civray Park
Civray Park has a lovely green space with a field, a playground, a stream, and a few small riverside trails. Some people were fishing in the stream, and there’s also a camping area beside the park.
2. Oda Aquatic Center
Oda Aquatic Center is located in the town of Civray. There’s an outdoor pool, a grass area, and an indoor pool with a lazy river section and a toddler splash area. There are also lots of flotation aids that you can use if you want.
A few things that caught us by surprise at the pool:
1. The outdoor pool was lovely and warm in summer, but it was well over everyone’s heads, so we realized we couldn’t swim with Romy in there.
2. Apparently, board shorts are “not allowed” at swimming pools in France. Lol. They let Colin off with a warning the first time!
3. Instead of selling junk food in their vending machine, they sell things like goggles and swimwear. So we managed to get Colin sorted with appropriate swim attire the second time around;-)
4. There is just one changing room, which is for both men and women. There are signs around saying that nudity is not permitted, but they do have cubicles available for changing
5. We found the indoor pool a bit cold… But we’re probably still used to Southeast Asia temperatures!
Entry is 5 Euros per adult and 3 Euros per kid. Under 3’s are free.
3. Le Cormenier
Le Cormenier is located near the town of Civray. It’s a neat little museum that walks you through life with a family in the region at the end of the 19th century. The story is narrated in French by a scarecrow. They also offer a paper English translation that you can carry into each room.
The second part of the museum is an interactive area set in the 30 years after the 2nd World War, when many technological advances were made. You can get a haircut, open fridges and car doors, talk on the telephone, and try to fit all your luggage in the back of the car before the timer is up. Colin managed it!
We really enjoyed visiting the museum and would highly recommend it as one of the interesting, fun, and educational things to do in Poitou-Charentes.
4. Gencay Park
One Sunday, we went to Gencay. When we arrived, we realized it was that day of the week when nothing is open. We decided to stay out and look around anyway. We had been keen to check out the outdoor swimming pools we’d seen on Google.
I have chased things on Google many times before, only to discover the listing hasn’t been updated, and well… such was the case here too. We’re not sure whether the pools will open later in the summer.
What we did find in Gencay was this nice park area to play in (and enjoy the rain)! It’s just behind where the outdoor pools are meant to be. There’s a track and fitness circuit around the water, and it’s a lovely place to enjoy the great outdoors.
5. Summer river swimming
If you’re wondering what to do in Poitou-Charentes during the summer, swim in one of the many lovely rivers there! Ok, so you can probably do this in winter as well if you’re super keen!
Rural France has some gorgeous rivers with beautifully clean water. According to some, the water is good enough to drink!
Romy’s first-ever river swim was in the nearby village of Charroux. It’s an easy place to stay a while. There is plenty of shade, ledges to jump off, picnic tables, and a little play area. However, we were busy playing in the river, so, for once, the play area didn’t get a look-in!
If you’re in the Poitou-Charentes region of France and want to visit the river, you can access the picnic area across from Sarl Gargouil on Google Maps (the apple juice factory).
6. Saint Martin l’Ars
Saint-Martin-l’Ars was basically in our neighborhood when you look at it on a rural scale. There’s a fab man-made beach and lake that’s very kid-friendly, and free to use. This was where Romy had her first-ever lake swim!
There’s a walking track around the lake and a fun play area too. They also have an on-site restaurant. It was Sunday afternoon when we went there. As is the case with pretty much everywhere here on Sunday afternoon, it was closed.
If you’re in the area, we highly recommend the Saint Martin l’Ars park and lake as one of our favorite things to do in Poitou-Charentes.
Things to do in Poitou-Charentes | Poitiers Area
7. Vivonne Park
Vivonne is a nice little town just South of Poitiers in the Poitou Charentes region of France. We enjoyed hanging out at the green space and playground there, alongside the cute river setting complete with lots of ducks and ducklings?.
Colin was happy to find a designated area to show us some football skills, and there’s a canoe and kayak club there, too. We are presuming that you can hire a canoe or kayak there, although it wasn’t open when we visited.
One of the things I love most about this region of France is the abundance of fruit trees, especially wild bramble berries.
Right in the middle of this park was a very abundant apple tree… So you can forage in the comfort of your local park! We went to the local bakery for some lunch afterward. We sat outside and noticed there was an apple tree right next to us, too.
There’s also a water jump park in Vivonne that we would have loved to have tried out. It was closed while we were there, however, and still appears to be closed.
8. Parc de Saint Cyr
Parc de Saint Cyr, just North of Poitiers, offers a fabulous summer’s day out for the family. There’s also the option to stay a little longer if desired, with the on-site campground. It’s definitely one of our favorite recommended things to do in Poitou-Charentes.
The entry fee was only 7 Euros for the whole family, and we enjoyed the lovely man-made beach and clear waters, which were full of fish.
Colin and Ayla super-enjoyed the big inflatable water playground. They both said it was the most fun thing they’d ever played on in the water. I’m thinking I should get amongst it next time! There’s a fee of 8 or 9 Euros per person per hour, depending on the time of day. Or you can purchase two hours or an all-afternoon pass.
There is also a “toboggan” ride, a small collection of waterslides. It’s 4 Euros for 12 descents. We skipped those since they didn’t quite compare to the ones we’ve recently been on in Southeast Asia. The Waterpark playground is only for kids aged 6 and up, so the slides would be a great option for kids from about 3-5 years with their parents.
There’s an on-site restaurant and a pretty neat playground, too. You can also rent pedal boats and kayaks, and the lake is huge, with a perimeter track that’s perfect for off-road bikes or walking. With plenty of shaded spots, it’s easy to spend the whole afternoon or longer there.
9. DefiPlanet
DéfiPlanet is a self-described “different and interesting” theme park and hotel. And it’s definitely a unique place to add to your itinerary of things to do in Poitou-Charentes!
Located about a 25-minute drive South of Poitiers, there’s plenty to keep the whole family entertained here. Colin caught up on some work in the snack bar while the girls and I discovered the main theme park.
The main theme park is 14 Euros for adults, 8 Euros for kids, and under 3’s are free. They say it will take about 3.5-4 hours to get around. It was more like 5 hours for us, but we like to cruise!
First, you head through a small museum, then into the farm-animal section of the park. It’s spread over quite a big area, so there’s a fair bit of walking.
You can discover many local animals and learn a bit of history. The girls loved hanging out with the goats. There’s a rope climb to get in with them, and a rope climb /slide out for bigger kids.
There are even a few random International sections where you can find out about cattle ranches in Hungary, and go inside a Mongolian yurt!
When you pay for your ticket, you get a swipe card that you set up with either English or French. You then use it at certain spots in the park to learn more /be entertained.
The magical forest trail
The second part of the theme park takes you to a magical forest trail where you can ride a flying horse, climb a giant spider web, go inside a leprechaun’s house, watch an entertaining show, find a spellbook inside a treasure chest, and more.
Once you’ve finished the forest trail, you’ll head back down the path. Here you can see the unique types of accommodation available at the park. These include a castle and structures shaped like various animals.
There’s more to do than the theme park alone. The adventure park (20Euro/14 Euro) has ziplines and more. You can also ride horses, play mini golf, and try archery. We also saw families riding around on family-sized bikes.
We had a great day at Defi Planet and highly recommend it as one of the best things to do in Poitou-Charentes.
10. Poitiers city
Poitiers was the closest major city to where we were house-sitting. We love the center with its big square, outdoor dining, and, of course, plenty of delicious Poitou-Charentaise food options to try. The Notre Dame Roman Catholic church is also very beautiful.
11. Looky Land
If you’re after things to do in Poitiers, Poitou-Charentes with kids, try out Looky Land. The girls loved playing at Looky Land, an indoor playground in Poitiers. It kept them entertained for a few hours. No doubt they would have played all day if they could have!
Looky Land is located in the Shopping area south of Poitiers, so you can get your groceries done or visit a restaurant while you’re there. It’s not visible from the road; it’s located in a warehouse-type place behind some other shops. Just follow the Google Maps location, and you should find it!
The main area has plenty of slides and climbing areas, and even some little cars to drive! There’s also a ball pit and a slide area for the little ones, and a dance room. As well, mum and dad can grab a coffee while the kids play☕.
12. Futuroscope
Futuroscope is a unique theme park located on the north side of Poitiers. It’s one of the biggest tourist attractions in Poitou-Charentes.
It has a lovely layout and has been well thought out. There are many touches that set it apart from other theme parks we have visited.
There are beautifully landscaped green areas where you can chill out on a giant bean bag or hammock. Therefore, you can take a break whenever you want to.
In true French style, you can get amazing real food at one of the restaurants, so you’re not limited to choosing between the “junk food” options that you’d find in many theme parks. I had an amazing vegan burger, and Colin had fish with pasta. You can also bring your own snacks or a picnic lunch.
We arrived not long after the 10 am opening, aiming to make the most of the time we had there. We wouldn’t necessarily advise doing so, though. Things didn’t really seem to be running at that time, even though the park was open.
You can download an interactive map to your phone, which we probably should have done to save the time we spent wandering around! We probably would have done well to plan around the opening times of attractions and shows. However, at the time, we thought we’d prefer to wing it and see what we came across.
Reality rides, playgrounds, and more!
There are lots of virtual-reality-type rides in theatres and fantastic playgrounds for the kids. There is also a really cool “DIY” type ride area in Futuropolis where you strap yourself in and operate the buttons yourself!
Ayla enjoyed driving her own car and learning to operate a mini digger. You can also jump on trampolines or fly down giant indoor slides on mats that will help you go super fast. We went on a hot day, so the girls loved the water play area too. There is also a show each night at 9 pm. However, we called it a day around 8 pm, when everything else had closed up.
We’d recommend Futuroscope if you want to try something that’s a bit different. Like many of the theme parks we’ve visited, it was extremely quiet. We visited on a Thursday during the first week back at school, so that may have had something to do with it.
13. Ice skating
The ice skating rink in Poitiers (Patinoire de Poitiers on Google Maps) makes for a fun morning out. On a Saturday morning from 10 am to 12 pm, you can pay 4 Euros to hire a pair of skates for an adult and a child. Ride-on seals and the little ice carts (not sure what they’re called, but they are helpful for those who are learning) are also included.
This was Ayla’s third try after going a couple of times while we were in Malaysia. She will be overtaking me in no time!
Things to do in Poitou-Charentes | Other lovely towns
14. Angouleme
Angoulême has got to be one of the best towns in Poitou-Charentes. It’s quaint, full of character, and just gorgeous in general. We loved the pedestrianized cobblestone streets in the old part of the town. There’s a wide array of alfresco dining options in this area, which we absolutely love too.
It was 37 degrees when we visited, so the girls also decided to go for a complete immersion in the town’s fountain!
Angoulême is sort of built in two layers. We headed to the old town in the upper layer, which had a lovely old Chateau and picturesque views of the town below. If you visit, just remember that everything closes for a few hours mid-afternoon (as you now know the case with most places here!)
15. Limoges
One of the things I love about French towns and cities is how the central area maintains its lovely old buildings.
Malls and chain stores are located on the outskirts. The old town retains its charm with its cobblestoned streets, little alleyways, local artisan stores, outdoor dining, and pedestrianized areas.
Limoges is a lovely city with a beautiful old town. We started by meeting some new world schooling friends at the children’s playground on the side of the botanical gardens in the city center. From there, we wandered past the gorgeous cathedral and took a look inside. Then we walked along the pedestrian-friendly cobblestone streets to enjoy an extended lunch.
16. Montmorillon
Montmorillon is a picturesque town in the Poitou-Charentes region of France.
I’m not sure of how much there is to “do” there. However, it’s beautiful to wander around the old town, which is perched on a wee hill. You can get a lovely view over the river and also enjoy lunch on the riverfront.
Had we been there just to see the town, we would have visited the macaron museum, because it sounds yummy and interesting!
However, we were there for a potentially once-in-a-lifetime opportunity…to catch a glimpse of the Tour de France as they whizzed through!
Other places to visit in the Poitou-Charentes region
There are so many fun and interesting things to do in Poitou-Charentes, France. We have simply shared some of our favorites, based on what we did during our time there. Some of the places we didn’t get to go to in this region, but would have liked to, are summarized below:
17. Check out La Rochelle, a gorgeous seaside town. The old town and old port are full of character and beauty. It was on our “must-do” list of things to do in Poitou-Charentes. However, it was a two-hour drive from the house sit we were doing, so we didn’t get there this time
18. Visit the town of Cognac and try a bit of the brandy the region is so famous for! This was a place we had planned to meet another worldschooling family. However, they canceled the plans the night before we were due to meet. Next time!
19. Visit the Marais Poitevin Regional National Park. It’s located west of Niort, north of La Rochelle, and south of Fontenay-le-Comte
20. La Vallée des Singes is located close to where we were staying in the countryside. We don’t usually visit animal-based attractions, but would have liked to visit this one. They are committed to animal protection, and the park is home to 450 monkeys that roam freely.
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