10-minute drive

Thurs – Sun: open

Sitting on the site of the UNESCO World Heritage Abbaye of Saint Savin and beside the river Gartempe, this lovely restaurant couldn’t be more elegant or have better views. The menus for lunch and dinner are traditionally French – snails in garlic butter, foie gras, succulent côte de bœuf and regional cheeses and puddings – not forgetting delicious wines. A real treat for gourmands.

22-minute drive

Mon – Weds: closed

Thurs: 12:00 – 14:30 & 19:00 – 20:00

Fri – Sat: 10:30 – 14:30 & 19:00 – 21:30

Sunday: 10:30 – 14:30

Getting here is half the fun. It’s a beautiful drive along a small road lined with historical houses. Nelly is a great cook and her menu is reassuringly short, offering only what is freshest and most seasonal that day, then cooked from scratch. There’s a relaxed, informal atmosphere and children are welcome.

10-minute drive

Tues – Sun: open

A lovely place to eat, run by Andy and Harriet, who offer a fascinating infusion of Scottish/French food: freshly-made soups, meat or fish options, tasty homemade puddings and tarts. The wine list is well considered and varied. All is very good value and the food is perfectly presented in a cosy setting.

A gentle, one hour stroll will take you along the riverbank through the prettiest green countryside. Gorgeous to potter along with the forest on one side of you and the water reflecting the magnificent mature trees in the sunlight. You’ll spot many birds but very few other people and this is just the right length for little legs.

20-minute drive

A beautiful park for a two-hour stroll through marshes, ponds and lakes, hedgerows and fields. There are many birds to watch including some migratory rarities so keep as quiet as you can and don’t forget your binoculars – look out for smaller flora and fauna too, like such as lizards, water-based plants and orchids. There are good paths for cycling.

9-minute drive

Weds – Sat: 08:00-13:00

An excellent bi-weekly market with a wide range of tasty fresh produce including cheeses, meats, the freshest vegetables and fruit and some local specialities. You’ll also find exceptional butter to spread on your crusty bread. Immerse yourself in the flavours of this special region, listen to the locals chattering, find a quiet spot to sit and recover with a good cup of coffee.

28-minute drive

Sat, Tues, Thurs: 08:00-13:00

Well worth getting in the car just to visit this vibrant market in the historic town – even if you don’t need to buy anything. It’s the largest market in the department on Saturdays and attracts over 120 traders with a diverse range of lovely things to buy or eat. Try grilled eels or beef stews, down hearty red wine, join in the throng and fantasise that you’re a local.

10-minute drive

Thursdays in late July & August: 18:30 – 10:30

A night market is a very special French treat and this one is no exception. It’s held in the stunning courtyard of Château Naillac and you’ll find lots of local producers offering tasty regional specialities. Just quite why it’s more exciting at night is a mystery, but it definitely is. Break away for a good dinner in between browsing.

10-minute drive

Arnaud’s shop is a wonderful find for anybody who loves antiques and vintage pieces. You could lose yourself for hours looking at beautiful old furniture, pictures, mirrors and objects d’art. If you happen to be with somebody who isn’t interested in these delights they can lope off and find plenty of places to have a drink while you finish browsing.

8-minute drive, visits on request

The local Ali Baba’s cavern! And a much-loved spot for a rummage among the displays of brocante. Once you start you never know what you’re going to find so keep searching and you’re sure to be rewarded – fortune favours the brave.

8-minute drive

Tues, Weds, Fri: afternoon
Sat: all day

Fascinating thrift shop and second-hand store selling donated goods like clothing, furniture, household items, books, and more. The proceeds support the Emmaus Community’s charitable programs and provide income for its residents. There’s always something interesting to unearth.

12-minute drive

Children will love it here. They can learn to canoe, paddle board or kayak with instructors. There’s also archery, orienteering, climbing, mountain biking and mini-golf. Avid tree climbers above 1.20m in height can impress their audience by manoeuvring themselves over ropes, without a platform, from one station to another through the branches. Great fun for a day out.

14-minute drive

A peaceful Benedictine abbey which still houses a community of nearly 60 monks. A short distance away you can visit the abbey farm, a medium-sized estate. It provides part of the food for the community and also offers some of its products to visitors – fromage blanc, tomme and meat. The animals are very friendly, especially the cows, so you can get to know them properly.

A short walk

You can reach this superb walking/cycling path by walking down to the left of the small swimming pool then heading for the north gate. From here you amble down to the river, walk under the stunning viaduct and follow the path up the Voie Verte. If you turn left on the path you can cycle or walk the 1.5km into the village of Ingrades via the old railway station. There are lovely spots along the river bank to enjoy a picnic under the weeping willows.

30-minute drive, open every day

The 20-hectare thermal park is beautifully landscaped with French gardens surrounding Le Pavillon Rose. The spring water in the Thermal Baths comes from deep within the chalky bedrock and has anti-inflammatory, healing and soothing powers. As well as treatments you can enjoy relaxation therapy, take walks in nature and discover the heritage of the local area.

17-minute drive

What better way to spend a damp day than by visiting some fascinating caves. Take a 2-hour tour of the two caves currently excavated – an upper one and a lower one. Learn more about the origin of the name – sorcerers rock – this was a pagan hangout long before the decorated frieze was discovered. You can see pictures of the frieze in the visitor area depicting bison, horses, wild goats, felines, and the headless and footless figures of women.

1-hour drive 

Lovers of architecture will head straight to this city of art and history, still known as the ‘city of a hundred bell towers’. The centre of the old town is achingly picturesque with half-timbered houses, a 4th-century baptistry, the wonderful church of Notre Dame la Grande and of course the 12th-century cathedral. Book a one and half hour tour of the city to learn more.

1 hour 17-minute drive

Visit the country home of author George Sand, see the ‘Blue room’ she designed herself and in which she died. Spot the two cedar trees she had planted to mark the birth of her children Maurice and Solange. In summer there’s a 2-month long Chopin festival in the town with concerts, exhibits, lectures and theatre events to commemorate the great man. She loved it here in the peaceful Berrichon countryside which reminded her so much of her beloved Mazovia in Poland.