C e l l e t t e s
in the
Charente Region of France
Cellettes
is a village with a population of around 100 in the
Charente region of France. It is 2km from the market town
of Mansle which is on the river Charente and is on the
crossroads of two ancient Roman roads. Cellettes is on
higher ground where the land is predominantly worked for
maize and sunflowers. Although based on a farming
tradition, the village includes people who work in other
industries and professions. It also has its own school for
children of 8 to 11 years, and its own church. The
Chateau in Cellettes is also being thoroughly renovated.
The
Commune of Celettes also includes the village of Echoisy
where the traditional water mill and farming practices
have been carefully restored. The land is hard to work,
being very rocky and dry dolomite with only a thin layer
of soil. The region's stone is well known for its
pervious properties and used to be used for making lime
which was sold nationally and transported by rail.
 Map showing Cellettes in terms of the
main roads & railways of France
There is a more detailed map of the roads, rivers and
railways around Cellettes & Angouleme below
Travelling
to Cellettes
from
the U.K.
You should
be able to buy a yellow Michelin map of the
Charente region in the UK. The local map (Cartes
detaillées) is Michelin number 72, and the
larger regional map (Cartes regionales) is number 233.
Despite the names, they are both to the same scale, 1 in
200,000.
The green Michelin "Guide de Tourisme"
for the area is named "Poitou, Vendée,
Charentes" and although packed with interesting
facts, pictures and maps, only shows the principal roads
in its regional map. The following description and maps
should enable you to find your holiday home in Cellettes
without a detailed map of the area. If you will want a
detailled map, the best for walking or cycling will be
the IGM Serie Bleue, to a scale of 1 in 25,000.
Mansle is on the join of two sheets, nos "1731
ouest" & "1731 est", Cellettes is on
1731 ouest.
by
road
First, get
to France, and aim for Tours, on the Loire River, about
200km South West of Paris. The motorway (autoroute)
between Paris and Tours is the A10 (a péage - a
motorway with tolls), passing by Orléans, and running
alongside the slower (and free) N10. Tours and the Loire
either side of it deserve a visit.
From the Brittany ports, you'll still be best heading for
Tours, probably via Alençeon and Le Mans.
After Tours, travel another 100km South on the A10 to
Poitiers, in the direction of Bordeaux (which includes a
substantial toll-free section).
The motorway curves round the North West side of
Poitiers, before veering West towards the coast. Turn
off at the Southern end of the Poitiers by-pass, onto the
N10
(South, towards Ruffec and Angoulême).
Continue 80km South on the N10,
past the town of Ruffec, turning off at the small town of
Mansle onto the D18.
Within 2km, this turn-off will bring you to a bridge over
the River Charente and into Mansle (approximately
pronounced 'Mon') town centre where you'll be confronted
by the town's only set of traffic lights.
You'll see from the plan below, that there are two
reasonable routes for the final 2km from Mansle to
Cellettes. I suggest you pass straight on at the lights,
but at the fork just a few hundred meters later, turn
right (sign-posted to St.Amant de Boixé - the main road
carries on to the left). Then immediately turn
left again - you'll see from the map that you've
effectively just carried on in a straight line. After one
and a bit kilometres, out in the open countryside, there
is a poorly marked crossroads signposted to Cellettes.
Turn right.
You'll pass four or five largish new residential houses
on the right, and then shortly arrive in the village of
Cellettes. On your right you'll see the Mairie
(the village and commune administrative office) set back
from the road, just before the crossroads in the
village's centre.
Relax
- you've made it!
by
rail
If you wish
to leave the UK by Eurostar, you will need to
board at Waterloo. The route by London Underground from
Kings Cross to Waterloo with the minimum of walking is by
Victoria Line from K.X. to Oxford Circus, then by
Bakerloo Line to Waterloo. The Eurostar trains
currently run to Paris (Nord) or to Lille, from either of
which you can transfer to one of the regular TGV
Maritime services. These
lines run Paris (Montparnasse) - Tours - Poitiers -
Bordeaux, or, Lille - Charles de Gaulle airport - Tours -
Poitiers - Bordeaux.
Those high speed TGV trains can take you all the
way to Charente's main town of Angoulême, 25 km South of
Cellettes. Travel time from Paris is between 2hrs 20mins
and 2hrs 50mins. In either Poitiers or Angoulême, you
can change to a local train which will take you to the
nearest station, Luxé Gare, just 5km
from Cellettes. However, there are only 3 such local
trains a day, leaving Angoulême at about 6am, midday and
6:30pm and taking 15 mins, or, leaving Poitiers at about
6am, 1:00pm and 6:30pm taking about an hour. (only 2
trains on Sundays).
The Eurostar trains which run to Lille will
connect you with a TGV which stops at Poitiers
and Angoulême, but they arrive after all the
local trains to Luxé have left! So if you've chosen to
travel via Lille, you may need to make an
overnight stop before travelling on to Luxé. But as
Cellettes is only 15 minutes drive from Angoulême, it
may be tempting to hitch a lift from the North end of the
city up the busy N10. However, you will probably still be
left to find your own way for the last 2km from Mansle to
Cellettes.
However, if you take the Eurostar which runs to
Paris Nord, and there change to the frequent TGV
to Bordeaux leaving Paris (Montparnasse) before 4:30pm,
you will have plenty time to catch the 18:24 local train
from Poitiers to Luxé (Mons to Suns inclusive), or from
Angoulême at 18:23 (Mon-Sat. At 18:15 on Sundays).
For example: Newcastle dep. 06:00,
K.X. arr. 08:56.
Waterloo dep. 10:23,
Paris Nord arr. 14:17.
then
either
Paris
Montparnasse dep. 15:23,
Angouleme arr. 17:50
dep. 18:43, Luxé arr. 18.57
or Paris
Montparnasse dep. 16:35,
Poitier arr. 18:12
dep. 18:24, Luxé arr. 19.24
These journeys are best planned using the link below to
the SNCF web timetable which will also let you book your
journey. The return journey is similar - there are the
same 6 trains from Luxe each day,
the
earliest:- Luxe dep 7:15am via
Angouleme arr Montparnasse at 10:35am
around
midday :- Luxe dep 12:35 via
Poitiers arr Montparnasse at 15:45pm
the
latest:- Luxe dep 19:24 via
Angouleme arr Montparnasse 23:05pm.
When you arrive at Luxé Gare, you'll find a cafe with
telephone outside the station, and you could call a taxi
from there. The local taxi firm's number is 05 45 39 01
84. Alternatively, there is a bus - twice a week!
The taxi will bring you to Cellettes via
Échoisy where it will probably turn up a back road
towards Cellettes, arriving past the school and the
church.
by
air
There are
many flights each hour between Bordeaux and UK cities via
Paris, and about three each day direct to London Gatwick
operated by British Airways. Flight and booking
information can be made direct to Bordeaux
airport which is
about one and a half hours down the N10 and A10 from
Cellettes (150kms). There are taxis and a
"jetbus" service to take passengers from the
terminal to Bordeaux St. Jean, the main rail
station. The bus takes about 30mins and charges 35FF.
Trains from Bordeaux to Angoulême run every half hour
during the day (check the link to the SNCF train
timetables below - and note the need to reserve seats).
Most carriers stipulate that passengers check-in well
before departure time - Air France at Bordeaux
ask passengers to check-in 25mins before a departure.
In the event of an emergency, this is the fastest way to
return to most foreign destinations.
What
should you bring with you?
Some Francs will be useful in the smaller shops, tho' the
supermarkets and filling stations will take Visa,
MasterCard and EuroCheques (EuroCheques
are rapidly falling out of use - and we won't mention the
Euro)! You'll be able to change currency in the Bank in
Cellettes if you produce your passport (opposite the Stoc
supermarket) on weekdays.
If you're going to arrive on a Sunday, or any other day
after the shops close (7 or 8pm), something to eat and
drink.
Your passport and your holiday attitude.
DX
three
views of Cellettes - a garden, the Jardins
de Cellettes car and a house
  
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Map
of the area around Cellettes
The phone
numbers in Cellettes begin 05
45,
(from outside France, replace the leading zero with 00
33)
The Departement
number is 16
the Place
and the restored village pump
 
Shopping.
The supermarkets in Mansle open seven days a week, but
only on Sundays in Summertime and then only until about
12:30 (?). But on Sunday you should also be able to get
fresh bread from the mill at Echoisy, and fruit and eggs
at the farm shop there.
There is a very good selection of shops - they include
many practical items (hardware, weatherproof clothing,
stationery, first aid etc) as well as all the food and
drink you're likely to want from the supermarkets and
specialist food shops. There is also a well-stocked
builder's merchant with general hardware, D-I-Y and
garden supplies called "3M" just 1km East of
Mansle. On weekdays, remember that the shops and
supermarkets close between 12 & 2pm., and stay open
until 7:30 pm.
The market comes to town two days a week, offering a
magnificent choice of fresh produce (particularly fruit,
veg and meats). For minor shopping trips, you might be
able to cycle between Mansle and Cellettes.
more
views of the village . . .
The
area:
Mansle.
(pop 1600) This is nearest town, on the Charente river
It is particularly popular for camping and fishing
holidays, and has most necessary shops (supermarkets,
bakers, butchers, hardware, bank, post office,
tobacconist, petrol station and of course cafes &
bars).
Hôtels
/ restaurants in Mansle:
Beau
Rivage (Logis de France) **, has 50 rooms, near the
river in the Market Square. tél. 05.45.22.24.24.
Les Trois Saules (Logis de France) **, with 10
rooms, in village of Sainte Groux just a km N.W. of
Mansle, on the South side of the river Charente.
tél. 05.45.20.31.40.
L'Etoile d'Or, has 9 rooms. tél.
05.45.20.33.92.
Camping du Champion ***, on the banks of the
Charente, cap 300 (jeux de plein air, basket, volley,
pétanque), tél. 05.45.20.31.41
Echoisy. The
nearby village on the Charente River with a restored,
fully working flour mill and which sells bread and flour
milled by its own water wheel, as well as other fresh
farm produce. It is remarkable to watch the huge wheels
turning so silently driven by the slow, steady pressure
of the river below !
The area is sprinkled with pre-historic dolmens, most of
which are shown on the maps, and, just like the one
pictured here, are usually found on high open ground.
Some are solitary and some have been built in clusters.
In a very formal graveyard in nearby Ligné,
(North West of Mansle) there are rows of graves of the
Knights Templar
(the nobles who fought in the Holy Land, protecting
pilgrims and defending the religious order against the
state). The Knights had been particularly strong around
France's Atlantic ports in the 10th and 11th centuries.
These are plain graves without inscriptions but each
bearing the emblem of the Knight such as the plain sword
here. A similar full length grave-stone just below our
house in Cellettes (towards the Chateau) is probably
another single Knight Templar grave, now disturbed.
On a similar note, it is believed that the cellar of our
house in Cellettes was even used as a "priest
hole" and illicit church during a period of Catholic
persecution
 Nearby Sainte
Amant de Boixé (south of Cellettes) is
a pretty and ancient town whose houses have the most
interesting gardens.
Most of the local shops are rustic and friendly - you
will surely enjoy buying and eating freshly baked baguettes
each morning. The picture shows the boulangerie in Sainte
Amant de Boixé - the boulangerie in Mansle also bakes a
wide range of cakes and patisserie.
The village of Luxé,
about three kilometres West of Cellettes, is in two parts
(on either side of the river):- Luxé and Luxé Gare. The
latter as the name suggests, has the railway station.
Hotel accommodation is also available in Luxé at the
Hotel de la Gare.
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LINKS
A view of Cellettes
by pupils of the School in Cellettes :- http://hebergement.ac-poitiers.fr/c-mansle/patrim/cellette.html
Tourist
and Historic info about the Department of La Charente :- http://www.charente-fr.com
Hotels
in La Charente :- http://www.tourist-office.org/tourisme/france/poitou-charente/charente/charente.htm
Gites
(holiday homes to rent)
in La Charente :- 
Charente
Libre (newspaper) :- http://www.charente.com/
virtual Tour of La Charente :- www.rive-de-france.tm.fr/chare_gb.htm
visitors
guide to Angouleme (in
English) :- http://www.dxcom.net/charente/angouleme
The
French SNCF railway timetables :- 
Air
France timetables (in
English) :- 
Eurostar timetables :- 
D
X home page :- 
EMAIL
us !!
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See
you there! ... Enjoy!
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