It's time to start choosing filters for your #Balzac adventures! Want to save some cash and time? Airfares, hotel bookings, hire cars and activities — at lastminute.com.au, we can combine all of these things into a neat little package.
How does an extra sound? That's exactly what you could save if you book soon.
Create a package that's as individual as you are! You can pick and choose from 400 airlines and 282,000 hotels.
We have some of the best prices under the sun! Also, with our Price Pledge, if you find a lower price on your hotel or package within 24 hours of booking, we'll match it and refund you the difference.Terms and conditions apply.
If 'dull' is how you'd describe your life right now, then it sounds like you need a new adventure! Why not book a ticket to Balzac and explore the stunning rural landscapes of Poitou-Charentes?
It sits 390 kilometres to the southwest of Paris, the national capital of France.
Spend a day playing games on the shore and collecting delicate shells at Royan Beach or Saint-Georges-de-Didonne Beach.
The relaxing sounds of nature are waiting for you at Office de Tourisme du Pays de Matha. It's situated just 40 kilometres away, so you won't have to be stuck inside a car all day. Chateauneuf-sur-Charente Tourism Office, 19 kilometres away, is one more recommended option.
If you're considering travelling further afield, go 5 kilometres east to Champniers. It's here you'll discover Angouleme Cathedral and Chateau d'Angouleme. We also suggest stopping by Vars, 5 kilometres to the north, for Montignac-Charente Tourism Office and Nautilis.
Keen to explore the International Cartoon Museum, the Angouleme Paper Museum and the Hirondelle Golf? They're all not far from Angouleme, 7 kilometres to the south. The Angouleme Museum and the FRAC Poitou-Charentes are also close by and ought to be on your itinerary.
Short on time? Signing up for a few cycling tours, city walking tours and winery tours will ensure you squeeze every last drop out of your trip.
Step off terra firma and see Poitou-Charentes from a different angle. With a number of fun-filled activities like swimming and canoeing, it's the perfect playground for water enthusiasts.
Spend an afternoon indoors taking in the treasures of the region's art museums and history museums.
You'd be hard-pressed to think of a nicer way to explore the local area than by heading over to its open-air markets.
Check in with your inner history buff by paying a visit to some of the nearby ruins, old towns and fortresses. They're all superb places to find out a few things about the region's past.
Get to know the area's spiritual beliefs and traditions by organising an outing to its churches, cathedrals and monasteries. Take some time out to quietly reflect or simply observe the locals in prayer.
Your eyes shouldn't get to have all the fun while visiting Poitou-Charentes. Give your taste buds a little TLC too by sampling the local food and beverage offerings. After all, you can't say you've really experienced a place until you've tasted its flavours.
During your time in Balzac, you should eat like the locals do. That means tucking into a meal of mouclade (mussels in wine sauce) or oyster Marenne d'Oléron, some of the region's most distinctive dishes.
You needn't be an authority on wine to know a nice glass! Here, Vins Saumur de la Vienne and Vins du Thouarsais are impossible to ignore.
You may be poor in European euros by the end of your trip, but you'll be rich in extraordinary experiences. "À plus tard" Balzac!
From Balzac, it's roughly 120 kilometres southwest to Merignac Airport (BOD). This is the closest airport. Make sure you give yourself a bit of extra time to get there so you don't miss your flight home.
You'll roll out of bed feeling fresh if you choose to stay at one of our more popular accommodations, such as the Mercure Angouleme Hotel de France and Hôtel du Palais.
Reviewed on 6 Mar. 2024
Reviewed on 22 Nov. 2023
Reviewed on 4 Mar. 2024
^Savings based on all package bookings made with Flight + Hotel on lastminute.com.au from January 1, 2019 to December 31, 2019, as compared to the price of the same components booked separately. Savings will vary based on origin/destination, length of trip, stay dates and selected travel supplier(s). Savings not available on all packages.