Poitou- Charentes Emma Carlsson

The region of Poitou-Charentes was originally inhabited by Pictavi, a Gallic tribe. The area was conquered by the Romans in 56 BC. The Visigoths seized the region in 418, but eventually the region was given to the Franks in 507. In the Battle of Poitiers, Charles Martel halted the Muslim invasion of western Europe in either 732 or 733. From the 10 th to the middle of the 12 th century the counts of Poitou were also the dukes of Aquitaine, causing the city to grow in significance. Poitou became under English control in 1152, because of the marriage of Eleanor of Aquitaine to Henry II. The region went back to french control in It was a province of France until the Revolution where it was divided into three departments. History

The regional language of Poitou-Charentes is French. Arts are very important in Poitou-Charentes, amateur theatre and artists are found all over, and there is many festivals for the arts. The region is known as a place for tourism. Food is also very important to the culture of Poitou-Charentes. Cognac, or Brandy was even created in this region. Culture

La Rochelle, a city of western France, which is also a seaport on the Bay of Biscay. The naval base, La Pallice, was the setting of the movie Das Boot. Scenes from Raiders of the Lost Ark were shot at La Rochelle also. A big tourist stop would be “Vieux Port”. The town has many seafood restaurants, and the harbor is used for boating trips to the Île d'Aix and Fort Boyard. An interesting site to see in La Rochelle is the Musée du Flacon à Parfum which displays famous perfume bottles from brands such as Dior and Hermés. The aquarium in La Rochelle is also one of the greatest in Europe, and is a sight worth seeing, it is home to over 10,000 sea creatures. La Rochelle

Poitiers is a city on the Clain River. It is the capital of the Poitou-Charentes region. Some of the attractions of Poitiers include Parc du Futuroscope, Baptistère Saint-Jean, and Église Notre-Dame-la-Grande. Parc du Futuroscope is a theme park which is future based, and is famous for its variety of high tech cinemas including IMAX and 3D. Marais Poitevin is a great place to visit, it holds home to 70 speices of birds. Poitiers

Angoulême is a commune in southwest France. Angoulême is famous for hosting its annual Comic Strip festival every January. Cordelier’s Chapel is a must see, it is a 350 year-old tomb of Jean-Louis-Guez de Balzac, one of France's most celebrated writers, who was born in Angoulême. Angoulême is an exporter of paper, so they have a museum called Le Nil Paper Museum. The museum shows the history of paper both locally and internationally. During the third weekend of September Angoulême hosts the Circuit des Remparts. Angoulême

Marias Pitevin is a marsh that is miles long, and is made up of natural water channels, man made cannals, meadows, dykes, and fens. It is the largest area of marshland on France’s Atlantic coastline. The best way to see Marias Pitevin is on boat. Boats can be hired from different spots along the Marias Pitevin, and for 1 to 2 hours, or half to whole days. You can also see these beautiful sights on foot or bikes. Must see villages along the Miarias Pitevin are Coulon and Arçais. Marias Pitevin

The Île de Ré is a place known for its sandy beaches. Île de Ré’s beaches are filled with white sand, which is why it was used to film scenes for the the film The Longest Day. The main town of the this island is Saint Martin-de-Ré, where you can do a lot of shopping and eating. Also while in Saint Martin-de-Ré you can ride the islands famous “donkeys in pants”. While on the island you can go to Noah’s Ark which is a place where many types of birds and animals. Île de Ré

Poitou-Charentes is famous for its cognac. It is named after the Cognac area. Cognac, otherwise known as brandy, is distilled wine. Cognac is mostly made with the Ugni blanc variety of grapes, but Folle blanche or Colombard grapes can be used also. Seafood is also very popular in Poitou –Charentes, because it is right by the coast. Mussels and oysters can be found in restaraunts all around the area. Goats’ cheese is also a very popular in the area. In restarraunts and markets you will always find it shaped in a small log, with a piece cut off. Poitou-Charentes is known by some to having the best truffels. Les conuelles are biscuits enjoyed by many people of Poitou-Charentes on Palm Sunday ever since the village of Villebois-Lavalet started the tradition. Cuisine

 International Film Festival, La Rochelle, July 1 to 10.  Festival des Arts de Rues, Bouille-Saint-Paul, July 2 & 3  Comic Strip festival Festivals/Celebrations

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