What to do in Arces-sur-Gironde ?

Explore the historical heritage and local environment :

  • The romanesque church of Saint Martin X11 century, classed as an historic monument
  • Port Marans : promontory lined with ‘carrelets’ (regional fishing nets) along the Gironde
  • The marshes : the faun and flora, either on foot or by bike
  • The old windmills of the village.


Sport and leisure activities
: walks, short and long, cycling, fishing, boating

Events and happenings : flower festival, July 14 secondhand markets, music on Thursdays….
Consult the diary of the ommune : Click here

What is there to do in the surrounding area ?

Just a short distance away, in a radius of 5km, you will find authentic villages ‒ Cozes, Talmont-sur-Gironde and Barzan.

Tourist office, Cozes : 8 rue de l’Hôtel de Ville – 17120 Cozes
Tel : 05 46 90 80 82 – Website : www.office-tourisme-cozes.fr

A voir What to see at Cozes :

  • Saint Pierre church, XIIIth century
  • The old, covered-market, XIVth century ‒ market every Wednesday morning with local producers
  • The Saint Pierre district with its narrow alleyways
  • The ‘vélo-rail’ (railway adapted for cycling). Departure at Cozes station – Tel : 06 33 81 50 87 – www.veloraildefrance.com/velorail17

Tourist office, Talmont – Rue de l’église – 17120 Talmont-sur-Gironde
Tel : 05 46 96 17 85 / 06 80 05 72 09 – Website : www.talmont-sur-gironde.fr

A voir What to see at Talmont :

  • The village with its typical, small Charentaise houses fronted with hollyhocks, and its charming harbour
  • Sainte-Radegonde church, built at the beginning of the XIth century, a stopping place in the Middle Ages for pilgrims on the route for Saint Jacques de Compostella
  • Markers in Saintonge stone, guiding you for 125 km in the discovery of the most beautiful Romanesque churches, of which four are pilgrim stopping places and are registered as UNESCO World Heritage sites. A detailed IGN map is available free from the Conseil Général de Charente-Maritime – Tel : 05 46 31 72 77
    Consult the internet page with its interactive map on the pilgrim routes to Saint-Jacques de Compostella : Click here

Town hall of Barzan : 5 Route de la Treille – 17120 Barzan
Tel : 05 46 90 42 80 – website : www.barzan.fr

A voir What to see at Barzan :

  • The chalk cliffs overhanging the Gironde estuary with their panoramic view across the Médoc region.
  • The huge, square fishing nets (typical of the region) for leisure fishing
  • The site of Fâ : one of the most important archaeological sites in France (a Roman port the extent of which is still being uncovered) – Website : www.fa-barzan.com

 

A little further, going down the estuary with its chalky cliffs, are the little ports of Monards, of Saint-Seurin and of Mortagne-sur-Gironde. It is also the route of caviar, since the commune de Chenac-Saint-Seurin d’Uzet was the old capital of this prestigious product.

Town hall of Chenac-Saint-Seurin-d’Uzet – 9 route du Pineau – 17120 Chenac-Saint-Seurin-d’Uzet
Tel : 05 46 90 44 03 – website : www.chenacsaintseurinduzet.fr

A voir What to see at Chenac-Saint-Seurin-d’Uzet :

  • The harbours of Les Monards and Saint-Seurin
  • The inn-museum of caviar sturgeon at Saint-Seurin d’Uzet : Meltin’Potes

Tourist office, Mortagne-sur-Gironde – 1, Place des Halles – 17120 Mortagne-sur-Gironde
Tel : 05 46 90 52 90 – Website : www.ot-mortagne.com

A voir What to see at Mortagne-sur-Gironde :

  • The marina and fishing harbour
  • The marshes which stretch from the old cliffs right to the Gironde itself.
  • The town above with its viewpoint

 

Discover the wildest estuary in Europe. There are several boating companies offering cruises, either leaving from Royan or from the port of Vitrezay to Saint Sorlin de Conac.
Website : www.estuaire-gironde.fr

On the other side, going back up the estuary, is Meschers-sur-Gironde then Saint George-de Didonne and the town of Royan.

Tourist office, Meschers – 31 Rue Paul Massy – 17132 Meschers-sur-Gironde
Tel : 05 46 02 70 39 – Website : www.ot-meschers.com

A voir What to see at Meschers :

  • Its little marina
  • The caves of Matata and  Régulus (troglodyte dwellings)
  • 5 beaches of fine sand edged with cliffs, pine and holm oak trees

Tourist office, Saint-Georges-de-Didonne – 12 Rue Autrusseau – 17110 Saint-Georges-de-Didonne
Tel : 05 46 05 09 73 – Tourism office Blog

A voir What to see at Saint-Georges-de-Didonne :

  • A magnificent, 3km long beach of fine sand
  • The Forest de Suzac, which stretches for 380 hectares
  • Diverse nautical activities (it’s a commune known as “France Station Nautique”)

Tourist office, Royan – 1 Boulevard de la Grandière – 17200 Royan
Tel : 05 46 23 00 00 – Website : www.royan-tourisme.com

A voir What to see at Royan :

  • The Grande Conche beach, the Foncillon and Pontaillac beaches, and the Chay and Pigeonnier creeks.
  • The town centre, rebuilt in the 1950s, with its contemporary, authentic architecture.
  • Notre Dame cathedral with its imposing dimensions, built by the architects Guillaume Gillet and Marc Hébrard
  • The covered-market, which is open every Tuesday and Saturday mornings.
  • The casino – Website of casino
  • Planet Exotica, a theme park – Tel. : 05 46 38 00 99 – www.planet-exotica.com
  • Nautical activities on the long beach of fine sand as well as the smaller ones of Pontaillac

 

Past Royan and Saint Palais sur Mer, is the wild coast, with huge beaches of fine sand, the forest and the Coubre lighthouse.
The superb Palmyre zoo is one of the lost beautiful zoological parks in Europe.
Tel : 05 46 22 46 06 – www.zoo-palmyre.fr

A little further on is Ronce-les-Bains, opposite Pays de Marennes-Oléron.
Tourism office Ronce-les-Bains : Tel : 05 46 36 37 71 – www.la-tremblade.com
Tourism office Marennes-Oléron : Tel : 05 46 85 04 36 – www.ile-oleron-marennes.com

For train lovers, the Train de Mouettes will take you from Saujon to La Tremblade, passing through the little village of Mornac-sur-Seudre known for its crafts and tiny port.
Tel : 05 46 22 92 46 – www.traindesmouettes.fr

From the Ile d’Oléron it’s possible to embark for Fort Boyard, l’île d’Aix et l’Ile de Ré
Ile de Ré Tourism – Tel : 05 46 09 00 55 – www.iledere.com
Ile d’Aix – Tel : 05 46 83 01 82 – www.iledaix.fr
Fort Boyard – www.fort-boyard.fr

By continuing along the coast you will reach Rochefort, with its famous Corderie Royale (rope-making factory), its Marine museum and other unusual museums.
Tourism office Rochefort – Tel : 05 46 99 08 60 – www.rochefort-ocean.com

Then there is La Rochelle, the jewel of the department.
Tourist Office, La Rochelle – Tel : 05 46 41 14 68 – www.larochelle-tourisme.fr

Certain other sites inland deserve a detour :
Jonzac, with its castle, thermal baths and aquatic centre ‘les Antilles de Jonzac’ as well as a leisure centre “Heurtebise” – Tel : 05 46 48 49 29 – www.jonzac-tourisme.fr
Saintes the Roman capital of the region with its amphitheatre, its historic centre and boats on the Charente – Tel : 05 46 74 23 82 – www.saintes-tourisme.fr
Cognac with its vineyards, museums and castle and its trading houses… – Tel : 05 45 82 10 71 – www.tourism-cognac.com