Montignac-Charente between river and heritage

Montignac-Charente offers a range of options for your stay: the river and fishing, hiking trails, a cycling loop, equestrian activities and heritage. If you are looking for a hotel, it helps to decide on the main focus of your trip in advance: would you prefer to focus on a walking route, a cycling tour, equestrian activities or historic buildings? The places and activities below show how these options differ.

River, fishing spots and nature

The Charente and its many river arms run through Montignac-Charente and offer anglers several fishing spots. The Hippodrome René Gounin is located by the water. For planning your trip, this gives you two distinct ways to enjoy the water: several fishing spots in the town and the hippodrome’s waterside location.

The national natural heritage inventory entry dated June 12, 2024, lists Montignac-Charente within the ZNIEFF “Vallée de la Charente en amont d'Angoulême,” a continental ZNIEFF type 2.

Hiking trails and cycling loop

Two named streams are the focus of the hiking routes: the Sentier des ruisseaux follows the Ruisseau du Javart, while the Sentier des Sept Fonts follows the Ruisseau des Sept Fonts. This lets you distinguish between the two routes by the watercourses they follow. The Sentier des Sept Fonts also passes the former Les Sablières quarries. It starts at the canoe and kayak reception point at Le Marchot, near the Hippodrome René Gounin.

The Boucle vélo n°35 B offers a different kind of tour: this 27 km discovery loop runs between the river and Romanesque heritage. If you group activities by mode of travel, you can choose between walking trails along named streams and a 27 km cycling loop between the river and Romanesque heritage.

Equestrian activities and race days

Equestrian activities in Montignac-Charente take several forms. The Les Écuries de l'espoir equestrian center has a sand arena available year-round and a cross-country course for experienced riders. At the Hippodrome René Gounin, three evening harness and flat races are held on Thursdays in summer. Riding facilities and race events offer different focuses. If a race day is important to your trip, check the specific dates before you travel.

Another type of accommodation

If you are considering a campsite as well as a hotel, Camping municipal Les Platanes offers a different type of accommodation. It has 70 spacious pitches and a tent bungalow, which is available to rent for full weeks only, from Saturday to Saturday. The site is accessible to people with reduced mobility. If interested, check whether the Saturday-to-Saturday period fits your travel dates.

Remains of the castle

The remains of Montignac-Charente Castle include the 12th-century keep and the 13th-century gate towers. The two structures provide different points of reference in time for anyone interested in the castle’s history.

Discover more destinations: Alloue, Garat, Chassors, Rouillac, Roussines, Gourville, Oradour-Fanais, Ruelle-sur-Touvre

For the overview of the wider region: Charente.