In Aubeterre-sur-Dronne’s main square
One summer evening, we gathered with our friends in the main square in one of the Plus Beaux Villages de France, Aubeterre-sur-Dronne.
This charming village’s white houses, cobblestone lanes, summer heat and joyful atmosphere made for the perfect cocktail for a wonderful evening.
Under the lime trees, we picked a spot on the patio outside a restaurant.
The waiter served us good wines and a snack board made up of the best local charcuterie and cheese.
We said cheers and clinked our glasses, and from the table next to us, we heard the typical French ‘chin, chin’! Local French people love this spot!
We were quite taken with the musicians playing in the square, so we got up to dance a bit…
We don’t know if it was the food and drink that got us buzzing, or if it was the vibrant ‘guinguette’ atmosphere but either way, we stayed there all night.
On the banks of the Étang Vallier
After a day of hot weather, we stopped off at the Étang Vallier in Brossac.
We scoped out the place: there’s a bar at the entrance, with a play area inside for children. Outside, the lagoon and beach area. This is where we popped our beach towels down.
After splashing about in the water for a bit, we ordered a few drinks at the bar.
It’s a peaceful and shaded area, which is perfect for this hot day.
At dinner time, we headed off to Quai Sud. This restaurant’s view of the lagoon was to die for! We loved feasting on this delicious meal while watching the sun set over the lagoon.
Just a few metres from here, at the local stadium, we finished off our Thursday with a music concert!
At the Moulin de Perdrigeau, in the great outdoors
On this particular evening, we wanted hang out as a family.
We had dreamt of visiting a remote place in the great outdoors where the kids could play, and Benoît and I could enjoy some well-deserved peace and quiet.
One evening, we decided to buy some local produce to make up a gourmet picnic basket.
So, we set off to visit the small shops and farms! Organic bread, duck rillettes, Pineau des Charentes, grape juice for the kids, courgette spread, melon…You’ll see our favourite spots at the bottom of the article!
As we shopped, we heard about the former mill, turned watchtower in the middle of the forest in Bors de Montmoreau.
We hopped in the car and set off for the perfect spot for an evening picnic.
After we strolled along the chalky path in the middle of nowhere, we arrived.
There are picnic tables available, but we decided to sit on the ground on a blanket.
The children played together in complete security while Benoît and I were able to enjoy all the goodies that we had just bought.
We then climbed to the top of the watchtower, where we had a 360° view of the surrounding countryside. Pine forests stretched out ahead of us around the mill, creating shades of green, lit up by the last rays of sunlight. We could see a few houses and villages in the distance.
We’ll let you imagine just how beautiful the sunset was from here!
At the Moulin de Condéon, in the vineyards
After a busy day visiting winegrowers to learn the secrets of making good Cognac, we obviously ended the day in the vineyards in the foothills of the Moulin du Grand Fief in Condéon.
This mill, on the hills of the village, was restored.
Today, this wheat mill is open to the public. We used this as an opportunity to buy a few packets of flour.
As we sat around the picnic table, we admired the scenery while enjoying a glass of the Pineau that we had bought earlier in the day.
We watched the ballet of tractors in the fields, and the relentless work of these men and women, who continued their craft when most of us would take a break.