Where to eat in the Charente
A selection of the best restaurants where to eat in the Charente region:
Les Archives
Enjoy typically French fine dining in the unique setting of an old chapel in Poitiers. The kitchens giving onto the dining room and the vaulted cellars visible beneath your feet complete this unusual restaurant experience. www.lesarchives.fr
Domaine du Chatelard
Just a ten-minute drive from Angoulême, this country house hotel at Dirac gets rave reviews for its locally-inspired menu, and not just because the meals are served in such a beautiful lakeside setting. Hotel rooms are available for those who wish to explore the wine list. www.domaineduchatelard.com
Christopher Coutanceau
Something of a gastronomic reference in the Poitou-Charentes area, this Michelin two-starred restaurant in La Rochelle is a member of Relais & Châteaux and the Grandes Tables du Monde. As a cuisinier-pêcheur, Christopher Coutanceau’s menus are naturally based on the fruits of the sea. www.coutanceaularochelle.com
Chez Joséphine
Hôtel Napoléon is the only hotel on Île d’Aix, and its terraced restaurant is a popular table for lunch and dinner. So, this is one exile you won’t want to escape from, and where it’s very much a case of “Yes tonight, Joséphine.” www.hotel-ile-aix.com
La Distillerie at Hotel Chais Monnet
A great place to immerse yourself in the world of Cognac is at Chais Monnet. This five-star hotel is a destination itself, housed inside the former Cognac warehouses of Jean Monnet, nicknamed the ‘Father of Europe’.
There’s a sublime spa and popular eateries, including a gastronomic restaurant by Michelin-starred chef Sébastien Broda. www.chaismonnethotel.com/en/dining/la-distillerie/