In the vineyards, Canals & intimate rivers, Nature & small heritage
34,34 Km
2 h 23 min
I begin / Family
Taking you through the heart of the Charentais vineyards, La Flow Vélo zigzags between river and vineyards. The neat lines of cognac-making vines contrast with the wild islands in the Charente. A detour to Jarnac is very much worth while. Producing cognac spirit made the town’s fame, added to by the fact that François Mitterrand (French President from 1981 to 1995) was born here. On Quai de l’Orangerie, picture how boats were once filled with cognac barrels before sailing down the Charente. Further on, after a big meander in the river, the town of Cognac itself comes into view, full of history and heritage. Break your journey here and visit some famous cognac-makers, sampling the refined local spirit.
Elevation of the stage
63 m 46 m
Waytypes of the stage
Cycle path: 28,40 km By road: 5,94 km
Surface of the stage
Inconnu: 6,12 km Lisse: 10,12 km Rugueux: 16,87 km Accidenté: 1,23 km
The route
La Flow Vélo alternates between stretches on roughly surfaced greenways beside the Charente and very quiet, small country roads. There are no particular difficulties along this stage, a delight for families. There’s just one slope, after Bourg-Charente. For the time being, until further development, the route passes several hundred metres from Jarnac, but it is easy to reach that town’s centre safely.
SNCF train stations
- Stations in Châteauneuf-sur-Charente and Jarnac and Cognac
- TER line Angoulême - Châteauneuf-sur-Charente - Jarnac - Cognac - Saintes - Saujon - Royan
- TER connection in Saintes to Saintes for La Rochelle, Bordeaux
- TER and TGV connections at Angoulême for Bordeaux, Poitiers, Tours, Paris
Don't miss
- Châteauneuf-sur-Charente: Le Bain des Dames - Leisure centres, the islands of the escape, The church
- Angeac-Charente: paleontological site, one of the most important dinosaur deposits in Europe
- Saint Simon: the house of the gabarriers, the walls of the gabarriers, the church with the only ex-voto of Charente
- Bassac: The abbey
- Jarnac: The birth house of Francois Mitterrand, The Francois Miterrand museum, The church of Saint Pierre
- Bourg Charente: the Romanesque church, the nursery museum
- Saint Brice: Abbey of Chatres, Dolmen
- Cognac: The Cognac country discovery area, The Cognac art museum, the art and history museum, The Cognac art museum, The Cognacthèque, the gardens of the town hall, the Francois 1er park, the trading houses
Travellers’ reviews