fabulously easy. On the

fabulously easy. On the Ile de Ré the donkeys wear trousers! A tradition that goes back to the days when the island was plagued by insects. Though not a problem now, the trousers remain! Insurance services for English speakers in France If you seek city life within easy distance of the sea, Saint Jean-d’Angély, named after Jean the Baptist, legend has it his skull was once kept in the abbey, is a quintessential French town. And historic Saintes, a Ville d’Art et Histoire, boasts some of the finest Roman ruins in France and is on the pilgrim Route de Santiago de Compostela. It’s famous in France for its annual classical music festival held at the monumental 11th century Abbey aux Dames. Saintes has excellent facilities, is surrounded by glorious countryside and is less than an hour from the coast. With around 470 communes – including cities, villages and seaside Charente- Maritime has lots to offer. Charente Charente, named after the Charente River, is a place of forests and hills and lush vineyards where Cognac is produced, the department’s most famous product. Charente is served by excellent motorways with easy access from the ports of Brittany and Normandy and around 7 hours’ drive from the port of Calais. Closest airport Angouleme La Rochelle offers flights to the UK and Europe, as do Bordeaux-Merignac and Poitiers airports a little further afield. From Angoulême you can reach Paris by train in just 1.5 hours. Vineyards are sprinkled across the region with the most prestigious being in Grand Champagne (no relation to Champagne further north), a member of the European Cittaslow movement where quality of life takes precedence. Though not as celebrated as Bordeaux, Charente’s vines produce fine wines and local favourite, Pineau des Charentes, a fortified wine drunk as an aperitif. There’s a good choice of both town and country living with three main districts. The biggest is Angoulême, the capital (population circa 42,000) which borders Dordogne and is famous for its International Comics Festival. It’s easy to get around and has a great range of shops, restaurants and bars, as well as cultural venues. The second biggest district – Cognac, is popular with tourists due to the famous drink. But there’s more to it than eau-devie, with a thriving centre and plenty of shops and restaurants. Speak to a dedicated English-speaking Broker who’s also a French native speaker so to avoid the pitfalls and headaches of the French system. Medical Insurance Home Insurance Car Insurance Visa Insurance and more We work with more than 30 insurers and many more providers so we are always able to find the best and most affordable solution for your situation. We’ve got you covered. 33 (0)5 35 65 50 50 hello@fabfrenchinsurance.com www.fabfrenchinsurance.com 110 | The Good Life France The Good Life France | 111