SUMMARY After breakfast at hotel we got a rental car and drive to La Rochoucauld where we toured the château. Back to Angoulême to explore the old city, have lunch and walk around town on the ancient ramparts enjoying beautiful views of the lower town and countryside. Back to our hotel to relax by the pool (which got a lot easier after the British couple and their young children left). A bottle of rosé, peanuts and Quest bar comprised dinner by the pool. - Karen
DETAIL Up early for our first day in this new-to-us town and region. Breakfast isn’t included in our room rate, but we decided to splurge and get it anyway. Lots of the usual suspects to choose from: Vienoisserie (croissant, pain au chocolate, etc.), bread, butter, jams and Nutella, juices, cereal, eggs (and a way to cook them in hot water), and of course, coffee. It’s fine but we toy with the idea of skipping it some days in the future.
Our rental car is from Enterprise, arranged through Costco. Their location says Angoulême Station (we know where that is) but then there’s this address which is a five minute drive away, yikes! Which is it?? We ask Apple Maps to take us to the nearest Enterprise Car Rental office, and when we get there it’s a vacant store front. Down the way is Hertz, we go there. We get a similar car, similar price, and we mention to Madame behind the counter that we need to cancel our Enterprise reservation (no penalty to cancel, we’ve paid nothing so far). She offers to and does. She says she’s calling on my behalf, and needs to cancel the res, etc. They ask who she is and she says “no one” and hangs up, embarrassed. Mission accomplished.
In our new car, which is manual, we drive to La Rochfoucauld to see their castle. It’s on a river, of course. They sky is blue and the sun is warming everything up. The castle is amazing. There’s a gargantuan marble staircase that leads from the basement up many floors. It was supposedly designed by Leonardo Da Vince. We believe it. Lots of rooms. The place is amazing. Well preserved. If you were around in the 1600s (or whenever) this is where you’d want to live (though by today’s standards it is not so comfortable).
1/2 the castle is Private. We think that means the family lives there. We also read one can pay to stay there, like a hotel, so maybe that’s over on that inaccessible side. They have lords and lady’s period clothes to put on. I’m game but Karen says it’s for kids. I’m still game, but oh, okay.
Today’s Monday and once again lots of stuff is closed. We ask Yelp and Trip Advisor for a recommendation on a lunch place in town. None today. Geeze. We end up back at our hotel and start walking to find a good lunch place. La Cabana was good enough. We sat outside and next door the firemen were there with their trucks and outfits. They were protesting (en greve — on strike). Apparently they don’t think they’re being treated fairly. They’re being disrespected. Thankfully nothing caught fire while we were there.
Back at the hotel we take advantage of the sun (we respected it!) We get into our bathing suits and take a dip in the pool. The water is clear and cool. It feels good. The desk manager shows his head now and then and at one point we ask for another bottle of local pink wine. Again it comes in a clear floppy plastic “Ice Bag”®️ We decide just to continue hanging by the pool and having snack food by the pool for dinner: one power bar (split), chips, crackers, nuts. Not healthy but it was enough calories for us. Maybe we’ll eat better tomorrow.
Photos
First breakfast here. Have to check out the buffet. It's not included, but we splurge anyway. Lots of yogurt choices and dried fruit. Yum.
Hiking into town to (hopefully) find our rental car company.
On the way we see another mural from a French graphic novel (aka comic book)
Such a pretty castle on such a nice day.
The view from the entrance gate is impressive.
The courtyard. We think it needs some potted plants.
The marble spiral staircase, designed (we're told) by Leonardo da Vinci, looks just fine the way it is.
Throughout the house keeping warm is always a big deal. Down here in the kitchen? Not so much. Huge fireplaces everywhere to cook the food.
Period costumes to try on. I'm all for it. Karen says they're all kid sized. And...?
The Charente river is everwhere, including here. It gave it's name to the region, too.
At lunch we were looking at the firemen, on strike. They feel they're being disrespected, treated unfairly.
We walked around the city walls from whence you get a good view in all directions. This way you can see the Museum du Band Desin (or something like that). This is the museum of comic strips (the two matching dark buildings on the right).
More walking and more comic strip murals. This one includes Asterix and Oblix. Very famous in this country.
Enough of that sillyness, time for a dip in the hotel pool.
And local pink wine which (with enough snack/junk food) makes up a dinner.
Fabulous, except for dinner; not your usual multi-course french cuisine afare; peanuts and pink wine. I guess both were excellent.