The area around Cognac is gentle enough for some restful walks, taking in some pretty little Charentais villages. The best is the towpath or chemin de halage that follows the south bank of the Charente upstream to Pont de la Trâche, then on along a track to the village of BOURG-CHARENTE, with an excellent restaurant called La Ribaudière (tel 05.45.81.30.54; closed Sun evening & Mon; menus €21.34–50.30) at the bridge, an interesting castle and a Romanesque church; the walk takes about three hours in all. A byroad leads back to ST-BRICE on the other bank, past sleepy farms and acres of shoulder-high vines. From there, another lane winds 3km up the hill and over to the ruined abbey of La Châtre, abandoned amid brambles and fields. Alternatively, at the hamlet of RICHEMONT, 5km northwest of Cognac, you can swim in the pools of the tiny River Antenne below an ancient church on a steep bluff lost in the woods.Further afield, 18km northwest of Cognac between the villages of Migron and Authon, there's the fascinating Écomusée du Cognac (daily 9.30am–12.30pm & 2.30–6.30pm; free), which illustrates the history of the distillation process and the various tools involved, finishing off with a tasting of cognacs, liqueurs and cocktails; follow the D731 to St-Jean-d'Angely for 13km as far as Burie, then turn right onto the D131, 4km from Migron. A particularly beautiful excursion – arranged through the tourist office – is a boat trip east, upstream through the locks to Jarnac, where the late President Mitterrand's modest grave has become a place of pilgrimage for elderly left-wingers. Also here is the Espace Culturel de l'Orangerie, 10 quai de l'Orangerie (April–June & Sept, Wed–Mon, 2–6pm; July–Aug, daily 10am–noon & 2–7pm; tel 05.45.81.38.88; €3.50), which houses a permanent exhibition on the public works carried out during Mitterrand's two terms of office.
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