French Walking Holidays at l'Age Baston
Alex and John Waddington invite you to stay at Château l'Age Baston and enjoy a French walking holiday in the clean air and unspoilt countryside of Charente. This is wonderful country for a comfortable walking holiday. The Charente is where the old regions of Limousin, Poitou and Perigord meet. You will find unspoilt forest and farmland, springs, streams and rivers and lots of flowers and birds and animals. We have personal sightings of deer, wild boar, badgers, coypu, pinemartins, shrikes, Golden Orioles and Little Bustards - but we make no promises. (Bird lists on request).
It is lush, rolling limestone country where rivers suddenly disappear, shady forests beckon and caves and swallow holes demand your attention. The buildings are of mellow limestone with roman tiles and the roofs have the kind of gentle slope you start to find south of the Loire. This is Grade 1, easy walking; sometimes a bit rough underfoot but nearly all on paths. No climb more than 200 metres in a day. You can do the routes in good walking shoes and lightweight gear but bring boots if you are used to them.
There are:
- Architectural Walks,
- Château Walks,
- Scenic Walks,
- "Hard" Walks and "Easy" Walks,
- Linear and Circular Walks,
negotiated to suit your needs. See A day's walking for a typical itinerary. For a July or August walking holiday it may be best to start fairly early or to plan for two shorter walks because of the heat in the middle of the day. On an all day walk you get a superb picnic delivery, a packed lunch or a meal in a convenient café to sustain you . The half day walks are from 8-12 kms (depending on the group) and the full-day walks 14-20 kms adjusted to suit the energy and interests of the Walkers. The idea is to enjoy the countryside and work up an appetite rather than to explore the limits of your endurance.
For our French walking holidays we make extensive use of the national and local footpaths - the "Grandes Randonnées", GR 36 runs past the front meadow at l'Age Baston. Most of the routes used are clearly way-marked. You will find No.40 in the "Series Verte" by "Cartes I.G.N." a good basic map of the area. Large scale maps are available at l'Age Baston. The House is marked "l'Age Baston" and is just south-west of La Rochefoucauld. Most of the walks take place within 20kms of l'Age Baston. Some start or finish at the house itself so travel time is kept to a minimum.
John, who is your guide, has lived and worked here for over eighteen years. He is keenly interested in the countryside, nature and the history of the area. John says the Charente is like a bigger, wilder Wiltshire, only with more sunshine and wild animals. Come and see for yourself.
| March 20, 27 | May 15, 22 |
| June 12, 19 | July 10, 17, 31 |
| Aug 7, 21, 28 | Sep 11, 18, 25 |
French walking holidays - Prices
- Students
- 7 nights £660
- 14 nights £1270
- Non-participating partners and friends
-
Sharing Room
- 7 nights £405
- 14 nights £760
-
Own Room
- 7 nights £495
- 14 nights £940
-
Sharing Room
- Group Discounts
- 5-6 Sharing Rooms less 10%
- 7-8 Sharing Rooms less 12%
- 9-10 Sharing Rooms less 15%
- 10 plus Please contact John or Alex
- Please note: group discounts only apply to people on courses.
A Day's Walking at l'Age Baston
(Route: Montbron - St Sornin - l'Age Baston - 18kms)
- 08:30-09:15: (or earlier) Breakfast, Continental style
- 09:15-09:40: Transport to the Moulin Château at Château Menet
- 09:40-12:30: Follow the GR4 alongside the River, pass Châteaux Chabrot and Ferrières on the way to 'La Forge'. Break north to 'Fontichevaude going 'off piste' to take in a prehistoric cave (excavation may be in progress). From 'Fontéchevaude. climb to 'La Fenjtre and then follow GR4 through chestnut woods and vineyards to St Sornin (the local cave that does some respectable reds).
- 12:30-13:45: Lunch in the Cafe at St Sornin
- 13:45-17:30: to Rochbertier and Rancogne (more caves, a good Château and a Church perched high on the hill). Then SE to 'Chez Luget' and turn North on to GR36 for home. Last stretch of woods and fields with a short section of the D73 before turning left at the Moulin Roumagne and arriving at the South West gate at l'Age Baston.
- 17:30-19:00: Shower, rest and recuperation
- 19:00-19:30: Aperitifs and nibbles, boules on the terrace (can be fiercely competitive) or catch the evening sunshine.
- 19:30 onwards: Dinner in the courtyard, or the dining room by candlelight. Enjoy delicious food and wine in a relaxed atmosphere as you discuss your day.
A Walking course beings with your arrival on Thursday afternoon and ends on the following Thursday after breakfast. Walking holidays normally run for 7 or 14 nights.
