Historical Sites

These Roman baths about 5km away from La Croix Gites are the largest Roman Baths in Northern Europe, outside Rome itself.

This is the martyred World War II village. On 10th June 1944 as the allies were advancing through northern France and more and more German units were being moved north, being fearful of a strong rear-guard action by the French resistance, the Waffen SS rounded up 642 men, women and children in this peaceful (non-resistance)

This is an outdoors fully reconstructed ancient Gallic Village aiming to recapture what one of these would have been like around 1st Century BC. There are farmers houses, aristocratic houses, a forum. Guided tours are available in the afternoons 14:00 – 17:00 July and August and some weeks they have actors to bring a more

About an hour south of La Croix Gites on the road towards Brantome, at Le Cluzeau is the Grotte De villars – a charming prehistoric cave complex with paintings, stalactites and even claw-marks of prehistoric bears!

“France’s Venice”, Brantome is a gorgeous canal-crossed town an hour’s drive south of us in the Dordogne. You can take a boat trip, see caves troglodites and have lunch in one of the many open air restaurants. A lovel day’s outing.

The Chateau at Rochefoucauld. Rather easier to digest than the chateaux in the Loire, as it is smaller, well restored and furnished and is still lived-in by the family. Well worth a morning’s visit – kids (of all ages!) can dress up in mediaeval costume for their visit.  The town is also charming with good

Chabanais World War II sites of interest The National association of former combatants and Friends of the Resistance have collated and commemorated a number of sites around Chabanais that were significant to the struggle of the Maquis (The Resistance) against the occupying German forces in World War II.

This memorial was erected in the forests where the “Maquis” dug in against the Germans. 2,026 members of the resistance and French army are buried in the cemetrery here. There is a small museum on site as well. Open all year round. Website: http://www.chasseneuil.fr/batiments_historiques.php Feature Image Credit: Stéphane Charbeau, Photo-Charente.com

Also known as the “Astrobleme Rochechouart-Chassenon” The Rochechouart meteorite is one of the 15 largest to hit the earth

On an ancient crossroads of huge strategic value… …See the largest Roman baths in Europe outside Rome!