picture gallery / visit the town |
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Saint-Hilaire de Villefranche
Saint-Jean-d'Angély, is an attractive small town in the Charente-Maritime and is surrounded by beautiful countryside.
The old quarters in the historic centre are largely pedestrianised :
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In summer, its market and its shops are open by day
and, at nightfall, you can follow a medieval pilgrim who leads you back
into the past while taking you on an animated tour of the town. |
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Between rows of poplars and water meadows, the river
Boutonne winds lazily around the town, its towpaths now used for leisurely
walks and its waters for angling and canoeing. Ask at the town's canoe club if you're thinking of a river trip. Various options are available and sometimes a friendly evening barbecue to round off your day out. |
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The River Boutonne has other attractions - Anglers can fish for pike, sander and carp - A riverside leisure area with a lake, pedalos and other attractions for children - Atlantys indoor aqua centre offers swimming pools, water slides and a health and fitness centre |
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The town and riverside have some fine restaurants and cafés well worth investigating. In summer some of the cafés regularly feature music. From the banks of the Boutonne to the town squares, jazz, Latino and Country n'Western can be heard. |
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St-Jean has several antique dealers and, in addition,
many bric-a-brac and antique fairs are held in nearby villages and towns
between April and October. On Wednesday and Saturday mornings, there is a lively street market selling local produce and where shoppers may later relax on the open-air terraces of the cafés. |
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