OUR LOCATION
Welcome to Charente
A land of rich in history and the home to Francis 1st, patron of the arts and the renaissance king of France in the mid 1500. This land of cognac, escargot, simple fragrant ingredients, long sun-filled summer days is far from the pounding paths of tourists and guidebooks. Those who know it guard it like a precious secret. This is a place where life is sweet.
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OUR LOCAL VILLAGE
LA ROCHEFOUCAULD
Just a 5 minute drive from Puy Vidal you will find the historic and charming village of La Rochefoucauld en Angoumois boosting the magnificent renaissance jewel that is Château de La Rochefoucauld. An 11th century staple of French heritage overlooking the Tardoire river.
In La Rochefoucauld you will find everything from boulangeries, butchers, artisanal chocolate shops, and cafes.
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Château de Puy Vidal, a tranquil retreat just 2.5 hours south of Paris Montparnasse via high-speed train to Angoulême.
OUR NEAREST CITY
ANGOULEME
Just a 18 minute drive from Puy Vidal you will find the International capital of comics, designated creative city by Unesco, Angouleme boosts of a uniquely creative community of young artists working in various digital arts and pushing the boundaries of storytelling through animation. Also the location of Wes Andersons latest film "The French Dispatch" - 2021.
Charming cafes, eclectic restaurants, fancy boutiques and shopping staples as well as our famous covered farmer market Les Halles complete this cities offerings.
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MAILING ADDRESS
Château de Puy Vidal
72 Lieu Dit Puy Vidal
16110 La Rochefoucauld en Angoumois
France
SOCIAL MEDIA
FROM CHARENTE TO THE WORLD
COGNAC
The home of world famous brands like Hennessy, Remy-Martin, Martell, Camus, & Courvoisseir. Tour the distilleries that line the Charente river and learn what is it about this brandy that has captivated people for centuries. Visit Château du Cognac the birth place of Francois I renaissance king of France and experience their ancient cave, banquet halls, stables and distillery. After your tour, have the regional favorite cocktail a "Cognac Schwepps".
Just a 40 minute drive from Château du Puy Vidal .
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Transfering From Airports to Gare Montparansse
TO GARE MONTPARNASSE
If traveling from either airport, CDG or Orly, to Gare Montparnasse Train Station in Paris city center, there are plenty of available taxis waiting outside the terminals.
They offer flat fares to Gare Montparnasse ranging between 53 - 58 € from Charles de Gaulle, and 35 euro from Orly. If you prefer to book a car service in advance who will wait for you with a sign by the customs exit- we recommend BT Transfers.com average fare 80 €.
OUR TRAVEL TIP
We recommend a minimum of an 1hr 30 minutes between when your flight arrives and your train departure from Gare Montparnasse. Error on the side of more time to allot for luggage delays or traffic. Trains fill up, and so if you miss your scheduled train, there might not be an available seat on the next train.
HOW TO REACH OUR GATES
Our nearest train station (Gare) is GARE ANGOULEME.
Château de Puy Vidal is a 2.5 hours train ride from Paris Montparnassee TGV station.
OUR NEAREST STATION: GARE ANGOULEME
We highly recommend taking a direct train from Gare Montparnasse Paris to Gare Angouleme as this is the fastest way to get to us. Book your train tickets in advance for better rates and better seat assignment. You can also find reseller sites that offer discounts on tickets.
BOOK YOUR TICKETS AT SNCF.COM/EN
By Train
Tips for Traveling on French Trains
BOARDING YOUR TRAIN
We know taking a train in a foreign country can be a little intimidating. Here are some tips to prep you for your journey down to Chateau du Puy Vidal.
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When boarding your train, please note that your train track, train number, & train car can be a bit confusing. Your train track assignment will be displayed on a digital overhead board only a few minutes prior to train departure.
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Make sure to confirm your assigned train track with your train number. The most common train to Angouleme is (TGV N°XXXX To Bordeaux Saint-Jean)
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Ignore the large printed numbers on the side of the train car. Your train number and your train car number are listed on a small digital display by the side of each train car door.
ADDITIONAL TRAIN TIPS
If you have any additional questions regarding your journey to the Château please email us at admin@ladyofthechateau.com
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If traveling with several pieces of luggage, try and choose a seat that is in the lower deck of the train. This will make it easier for you to get off the train.
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Train delays do occur, so be sure to check train numbers and do not rely on the departure time of your train.
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The French like to practice the art of quiet travel/commuting by maintaining a peaceful atmosphere when in public and specially on trains. We recommend silencing your cellphones and using your inside voice during your train ride.
RENTING A CAR IN ANGOULEME
We recommend renting a car to better explore the region around the Chateau if you are not coming for one of our all-inclusive stays. There are Car Rental Agencies at all Airports and Major Train Stations. You will find the following agencies right outside the entrance of GARE ANGOULEME: EuropCar, Avis and Hertz.
Be sure to specify automatic transmission when you reserve- manual transmissions are the default.
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From Paris city center : 5h 15 minutes
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From Bordeaux: 1h 40 minutes
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From Gare Angouleme: 18 minutes
By Car
DRIVING IN FRANCE
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Driving is relatively easy and safe in France. Roads are calm and easy to navigate. There are large pleasant highways that are that are the most efficient way to travel long distances.
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Roundabouts are widely used in France instead of traffic lights. Simply yield to oncoming traffic and stay calm! The best part- if you miss your exit, keep going around again, and again, and again.....
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Road regulations and speed limits are tightly enforced- pay attention to the speedometer to avoid a ticket waiting for you when you return home!
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Car Rental Agencies close at odd times; french lunch hours, weekends, holidays, etc. Make sure to confirm your pick-up time is during a time they are open. 24/7 drop -off boxes are available at all agencies.
LIMOGES AIRPORT
You can drive or taxi to Château du Puy Vidal in one hour.
BORDEAUX AIRPORT
You can drive to the Château in 1h40. Or you can take the train from Gare Saint Jean in Bordeaux city center to Gare Angouleme in as little as 35 minutes.
ROISSY CHARLES DE GAULLE PARIS
This is France's largest airport serving a wide range of international destinations. Situated about twenty kilometers north of Paris city center. Accessible by car, taxi, RER(metro), and bus. To Paris city center it takes about 40 min to 1 hour by taxi & car, and 30 min to 2 hours in public transportation.
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Direct trains to Angouleme from Terminal 2 are available in the early mornings and late afternoons. Check train schedule before booking your flight if you'd like to avoid travel into Paris city center to catch the train.
ORLY AIRPORT PARIS
Orly airport is more of a European airport due to 50% of its destinations are located in Europe. Located about ten kilometers south of Paris, you can access Orly by car, taxi, RER (metro), bus and so on. To get to Paris from Orly it takes around 30 minutes by car, and 20 minutes to 1 hour by public transportation.
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No direct trains to Angouleme available from this airport. You must use ground transportation: taxi, shuttle, bus, metro to Gare Montparnasse in Paris city center.
By Plane
By Plane
WELCOME TO CHARENTE
A land of rich in history and the home to Francis 1st, patron of the arts and the renaissance king of France in the mid 1500. This land of cognac, escargot, simple fragrant ingredients, long sun-filled summer days is far from the pounding paths of tourists and guidebooks. Those who know it guard it like a precious secret. This is a place where life is sweet.