The novelty of starting your day with a croissant in Paris and eating Italian pasta for lunch is back on the menu this March. The hugely popular train route connecting Paris and Milan is reopening after a 19-month closure.
25.01.2025 - 13:11 / lonelyplanet.com
Jan 24, 2025 • 8 min read
When you think of Cognac, you might think of teardrop-shaped bottles filled with amber-colored brandy, or hip-hop stars or extravagant displays of wealth. But Cognac is also a place – the region in France where this glamorous old school beverage is produced. While this area along France’s Atlantic coast does feel effortlessly elegant – alas, it’s France – it’s also agricultural, windswept and filled with medieval towns and half-timber structures. Oysters are the region’s culinary specialty, and you will find them, along with Cognac’s eponymous beverage of choice, on every menu and in every market.
Wracked with religious wars throughout the middle ages, the region’s battlements and castles still stand as monuments to tumultuous times. These days, they mostly shelter crowds of visitors from France and beyond who come here for salty air, summer sun and a relaxed escape from Paris.
France’s Atlantic coast never gets too hot, even in the height of summer, which makes it an attractive retreat for Parisians looking to escape the sweaty city. June, July and August bring sunny weather and temperatures ranging between 70-80°F (21-26°C )with the lowest chance of precipitation. April and May, and September and October bring significantly cooler weather with temps ranging from 50-60°F (10-15°C ), and you can expect lower dips at night. You’ll also want to pack rain gear for misty and occasionally windy days. Winter is cold and blustery, but the Cognac region’s seaside location means that below-freezing days are rare.
A visit here should include at least two or three towns across the region. Coastal La Rochelle is a can’t miss, as is quirky Angoulême and the town of Cognac itself. If you have a week, plan to hit all three with room for a day trip or two, maybe to walled Brouage or the nearby oyster farms around Marennes. For a shorter trip, make either La Rochelle or Angoulême your base, and then add the town of Cognac.
La Rochelle is connected to Paris via the TGV, the country's high-speed intercity rail service. The fastest trains take about two-and-a-half hours with minimal stops. The TGV also connects Paris to Angoulême via a different route. A logical way to see this region would be to take the TVG into one of these towns and out of the other, using a car to visit the sites in between.
It is possible to go car-free in Cognac, though it requires a bit more planning. Local trains connect Angoulême, Cognac and La Rochelle, as well as other towns in the region, but you might need supplemental taxis or ride shares to connect some of the sightseeing dots.
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The novelty of starting your day with a croissant in Paris and eating Italian pasta for lunch is back on the menu this March. The hugely popular train route connecting Paris and Milan is reopening after a 19-month closure.
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