The leading English language magazine. Now covering Poitou-Charentes, Dordogne, Vendée and Haute-Vienne too!

Chris Luck takes a look at an extraordinary area which since 1980 has been the first, and only, State Nature Reserve in Vienne (86)…

Whether you’re a confirmed skier, or simply feel like getting away, a break in the mountains could be the perfect way to beat those winter blues... 

Forget caviar and even truffles – the world’s most precious food item turns out to be saffron, surprising quantities of which are produced right here on our home soil...

Find your local saffron grower in the region...

If you love the freedom of the open roads of France then you’re not going to believe what the open skies have to offer – and getting up there could be easier than you might think... 

We recently visited the Vallée de la Dronne to discover the fascinating story of Brantôme – one of northern Dordogne’s star attractions... 

For many of us the variety and abundance of local wildlife is one of the joys of the region. But what happens to the injured and sick animals? Chris Luck visits Lydia Bourdeau, the founder of the Centre de Soins de la Faune Sauvage Poitevine, to find out about the Centre, its work and the challenges it faces... 

Looking for inspiration? We profile one of France’s most influential annual garden events – an international affair which we’re fortunate in having almost on our doorstep... 

Going to the beach doesn’t have to mean driving all the way to the coast, as we discovered when we visited the Lacs de Haute Charente, midway between Angoulême and Limoges... 

The long summer holidays are nearly upon us, and with them come visitors. Helen Millar suggests how they (and you) can enjoy the region independently without it costing an arm and a leg…