LA ROCHEFOUCAULD, 22km east of Angoulême, is the site of a huge Renaissance Château on the banks of the River Tardoire, which still belongs to the family that gave its name to the town a thousand years ago. The stately pile, although still lived in, opens its elaborate portals to the public (Easter–Nov daily 10am–7pm; Dec–Easter Mon–Sat 10am–7pm, Sun 2–7pm; €6.10). In August it stages a massive son et lumière with a brigade-sized cast. If you want to stay, try the lovely old Auberge de la Carpe d'Or at 13 Grande-Rue (tel 05.45.62.02.72, fax 05.45.63.01.88; €40–55). There's also a municipal campsite on rue des Flots beneath the Château.Further east, the country becomes hillier and more wooded, with buttercup pastures grazed by liver-coloured Limousin cattle. A good way to see it is to drive up the back roads along the River Vienne to the beautiful, if now rather touristy, little town of CONFOLENS, about 40km northeast of La Rochefoucauld. Its ancient houses are stacked up a hillside above a broad brown sweep of the river, here crossed by a long narrow medieval bridge. The town's chief claim to fame today is the huge International Folklore Festival, held every year in the second week of August, when, of course, it's impossible to find anywhere to stay (festival information tel 05.45.84.00.77, www.festivaldeconfolens.com). The best place to stay is the Hôtel de la Vienne on the riverbank beside the bridge at 4 rue de la Ferrandie (tel 05.45.84.09.24, fax 05.45.84.11.60; €40–55; good restaurant with terrace overlooking the river, from €9.76). There's also a municipal campsite by the tributary River Goire. Having come this far, it's worth continuing the extra 6km to the minuscule village of St-Germain-de-Confolens, huddled by the riverside beneath the romantic towers of its ruined castle, where you can eat good country fare at the Auberge de la Tour (closed Mon except in July & Aug) for as little as €11.43.
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