Attractions

The Lac du Cébron is just a few minutes away. It offers superb bird-watching facilities and excellent sports activities, both on land and on water.

http://www.lacducebron.fr/

The Jardins du Gué are only 15 minutes away and are well worth a visit.  Seven, wonderful gardens and extremely knowledgeable owners who are on hand to provide information and advice.

(Be aware of your other half. If they are a keen gardener, they will get ideas—lots and lots of them!)

https://www.jardinsdugue.eu/

The lovely village of St Loup is not only beautiful but has a very active cultural programme. There is the wonderful Chateau. and the tourist office is most helpful.

It is also the closest place to eat, with L'Expresso, a restaurant mainly Italian-themed, though not exclusively, and one of our firm favourites. Then there is Graeme's favourite, le Chapeau Rouge. He loves a summer evening meal in their garden, a little more formal, but well worth it. 

Dating from around 1550, the Chateau d'Oiron came into state ownership in 1941. It now hosts an outstanding art collection in wonderful surroundings, well worth a visit.

https://www.chateau-oiron.fr/Explorer

This is the first restaurant we experienced in this area and it is a real joy. +33 5 49 64 68 08

Has outdoor seating · Serves great cocktails · +33 5 49 64 13 33

Our first experience of this restaurant was the night before we completed on Ô Trois Oliviers. What a surprise! It might not look special from the outside but what comes out of the kitchen is joyful.  

If you visit the excellent (and our favourite market) on a Friday morning in Thours then it is not hard to stay for lunch at 12.00 but we strongly recommend booking.   +33 5 49 66 48 99

https://tinyurl.com/57z8azyf

Futuroscope is a theme park in France that offers immersive and interactive experiences with 4D, VR, and holographic technologies. Discover the new indoor show Éclipse, the third-day free offer, and practical information to plan your visit. 

It's only 58km from O Trois Oliviers to Futuroscope. The journey usually takes less than one hour.

https://www.futuroscope.com/en

What can we say if you want a lovely lunch for not much money, you will find it hard to beat.

Our local bar and community hub puts on lunches during the week. They publish the menu the day before on Facebook and you ring up and book. Well worth a visit and there is lots of free parking available. 

Airvault is a larger town and, therefore, has many amenities to recommend it. Let us start with the fact that it is old and has one of the walking Churches on the route of the Camino de Santiago. Pilgrims could walk around inside the Church while a service was going on. 

On a Saturday morning, there is a lovely little market in the collonaded market.

Opposite the Office of Tourism is the most wonderful bakery, and their products are the best in many a long mile. 

To the left of the Office of Tourism, as you approach it, with Au Vieux Relais on the wall, is a courtyard with a lovely bistro restaurant called Le Bistros. You can sit outside or inside and have an enjoyable coffee, lunch, or dinner. 

Also, just up the street, we would mention Le 12 Restaurant.

This is our closest large town, where the sub-prefecture is based. It is, in part, very old, and, as such, so long as you can cope with hills, it is worth visiting on foot. There is a lot of free parking in the Town. 

Having said that each year they hold the Flip Festival or to give it its proper title The Festival Ludique International de Parthenay. This is a games festival held over a period of 12 days in early July. Most of the festival is held out of doors throughout the streets and squares of the town centre, although some elements are held indoors or under canvas. 

This is a place to take special friends and enjoy a long lunch/dinner. The wine list is lovely the food and service is excellent and the location lovely.  What is not to like. However, take our advice and book. 

What can we say about Niort? It is splendid. The market is terrific. The architecture is sublime. The Marie and the Prefecture are charming. 

For those planning a visit, here's some practical advice: Niort is a city that's easy to navigate on foot, and there are ample parking spaces available for those who prefer to drive. Plus there is a free electric bus that goes around the centre. 

The market opens between 5 and 6 a.m., depending on the day (please check). If you want to buy, intend to get there earlier rather than later. Many of these traders are artisans and have their real work to do after lunch!

There are many restaurants for lunch, but why not buy what you want in the market and have a picnic? There are lots of open green spaces.

OK, this market is an absolute joy. It is local, with local providers offering produce you dream about. It does not look fancy but a Friday morning Thouar Market makes us feel good.

From the Chouquettes that are warm from the baker to the choice of the finest fish, I have seen outside of Billingsgate Fish Market. Buying bread by weight and types of apples we have never known for a few euros.  Getting knives and garden tools sharpened, and then having a nice coffee eating something you bought in the market.

This is why you live in France! 

+33 5 49 64 02 26

https://tinyurl.com/La-

Truffadehttps://www.tripadvisor.fr/Restaurant_Review-g651748-d1802243-Reviews-La_Truffade-Parthenay_Deux_Sevres_Nouvelle_Aquitaine.html