Winter Activities and Attractions open throughout winter
Treat yourself to a spa weekend
Check out the Christmas and New Year’s offers for Spa Vinothérapie Caudalie. Located in the luxury hotel Les Sources de Caudalie, surrounded by the vineyards of Château Smith Haut Lafitte. A stunning location for a spa where you can enjoy natural hot spring water rich in minerals. See photos and find more information here.
Go Ice Skating!
Nant’Arctique 2016, Nantes
Outdoor skating rink, 17 December 2016 – 1 January 2017
Open everyday from 10h to 20h. (Christmas day and New Year’s Day included). Situated at the foot of the majestic Saint-Pierre Cathedral and Saint Paul de Nantes. Remember, gloves are mandatory, helmets and protections are available to children (From 4 years). Toboggan runs for 4 to 10 year olds accompanied by an adult. You can even try disco skating on 20 & 27 December and 3 January from 8pm to 10pm. Rates: 1 euro (skate rental) / 1 euro the four sledge runs.
Pey Berland’s outdoor skating rink, Bordeaux
A popular ice rink, returning for it’s 12th year, from the end of November 2016 to the beginning of January 2017. Suitable for both beginners and advanced skaters, young and old. Two tracks are installed in front of palais Rohan, one for adults and older children and one for children under 8 years. The ice rink is open every night until 22h. On 24 and 31 December the ice rink will be open from 10h – 18h and on 25 December and 1 January from 14h – 22h. Rates: 3.10 euro entrance, free skate rental.
Visit the Marais Pontevin during winter. Learn more here.
Museums
CAPC, Bordeaux
The modern museum in Bordeaux has a exhibitions throughout the year.
Cognatheque, Cognac
It houses a permanent exhibition devoted to cognac where you can see and buy 450 different cognacs as well as 50 types of pineau. It’s open throughout winter.
Espace Mendès-France, Poitiers
A centre designed to popularise the worlds of science and technology with permanent and temporary exhibitions and a planetarium. It’s open throughout winter. Learn more on TripAdvisor.
CIBDI, Angoulême
The comic strip museum in Angoulême in the Charente that’s the Louvre for comics, with a collection of more than 8,000 original drawings and over 110,000 magazines and comic books. It’s open throughout winter.
The Abbey of Saint-Savin sur-Gartempe
In the town of the same name in the Vienne, the abbey famed for its 11th century paintings that have made it a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It’s open throughout winter.
Roman amphitheatre, Saintes
One of the oldest and largest in existence in France and dates back to 40AD. 1 October – 31 March, Open Monday-Saturday 10h-12.30h and 13.30-17h and on sunday from 14h-17.30h.
Angoulême museum
Formerly the Musée des Beaux-Arts with collections of African and Oceanic art and the history of the Charente, from geological times, through prehistoric humans to the Middle Ages. It’s open throughout winter.
The Natural History Museum, La Rochelle
It has an eclectic collection of more than 10,000 objects from Africa, America and Oceania. It’s open throughout winter.
Musée des Commerces d’autrefois, Rochefort
See 20 superb replicas of shops from the turn of the last century. It’s in December and closed in January.
Château de la Rochefoucauld
An original 11th century square keep flanked by Renaissance towers, in la Rochefoucauld in the Charente. It’s open every day except Tuesdays in November and December. Open Sunday afternoon in January-March.
Centre International de la Mer, Rochefort
At the Corderie Royale (the Royal ropeworks) in Rochefort in the Charente-Maritime, houses both permanent and temporary exhibitions on the sea and seafaring. It’s open November and December; closed in January.
Halles aux Vivres
Museum in the Brouage citadel, not far from Rochefort in the Charente-Maritime, that covers the history of the Brouage citadel, as well as military history with temporary exhibitions about the area, its history and culture. It’s open all day during November and in the afternoon in December and January. From 1 October to 25 March, it’s open Monday to Friday from 10 am to 12:30 pm and from 2 pm to 5 pm.
Passage Pommeraye in Nantes
Family Activities
Futuroscope
The theme park near Poitiers in the Vienne that’s a mix of thrills and education with rides and 3D and now 4D films. From mid-November it is open weekends only until the two-week Christmas holiday when it is open every day. It is closed from 3 January, 2017, re-opening again on 4 February, 2017, when it is open every day. Find exact opening hours here.
La Rochelle Aquarium
12,000 marine animals, with 70 different aquaria within the complex, including a shark tank over three levels. It’s open every day throughout the winter. Find exact opening hours here.
Les Antilles Water Park, Jonzac
An indoor aquatic centre in Jonzac in the Charente-Maritime that’s is one of the largest of its type in Europe, offering swimming plus slides, water toboggans, indoor beaches, beauty and fitness centres, tropical surroundings and great eating too. The main lagoon open in the afternoons during autumn and winter. Learn more.
Planet Exotica, Royan
A 7.5 hectare zoological park in the Marais de Pousseau area of marshland near Royan. Here you will find a tropical greenhouse and a desert hall with one of Europe’s largest reptile collection. A Japanese Bonsai Garden and an 1800 year old olive tree! For children there is a Jurassic Garden with a collection of life size dinosaur models. From 1 September – 1st January 2017 it’s open daily from 10am to 6pm. Learn more
Cap Ferret Lighthouse
A 53 m high lighthouse built in 1947 with amazing views across the Bassin including the Dune du Pilat. Open October- March, Wednesday – Sunday from 14h- 17h. (Visits stop 30 minutes before the site closes). Closed between 6 November – 16 December 2016. See reviews on Trip Advisor.
The towers of La RochelleThe three 14th and 15th century towers that dominate the port area of La Rochelle in the Charente-Maritime. They’re open throughout winter.
Château de la GataudièreSituated near the coast at Marennes in the Charente-Maritime, have fun on the dirt (scrambler) and quad bike circuit, the paintball & laser tag area and a treetop adventure obstacle course. It’s open on weekends throughout winter. Exact opening hours.
Photo “Bordeaux in Winter” by Etienne Gérard CC BY 2.0 image cropped; Photo “Saint-Emilion” and “Saintes Amphitheatre” by popelix.com; Photo 4 by Rodolphe Breard / CC BY 2.0 image cropped