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Practicalities
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AngoulA?me is easily accessible by
train
from Cognac, Limoges and Poitiers. From the
gare SNCF
avenue Gambetta, with the
gare routiA?re
and several cheap hotels, leads uphill to the town centre through place PA©rot, a fifteen-minute walk. The main
tourist office
, 2 place St-Pierre (July & Aug Mon-Sat 9.30am-7pm, Sun 10am-noon & 2-5pm; rest of year Mon-Fri 9am-12.30pm & 1.30-6pm, Sat 10am-noon & 2-5pm, Sun 10am-noon; tel 05.45.95.16,84, fax 05.45.95.91.76), is by the cathedral and can provide route details for walks in the area -
circuits pA©dA?stres
; there's another branch office outside the
gare SNCF
.
Both tourist offices can help with accommodation , although if you want to go it alone the cheapest rooms in town are at the peaceful family-run Le Crab , 27 rue KlA©ber (tel 05.45.93.02.93, fax 05.45.95.38.52; under 160F/a?¬24), with a decent restaurant serving menus from 60F/a?¬9.15, and at HA?tel GastA© , 381 rte de Bordeaux (tel 05.45.91.89.98, fax 05.45.25.24.67; under 160F/a?¬24; closed first three weeks in Aug; restaurant from 60F/a?¬9.15), a long haul from the station on the opposite side of town. But far and away the nicest place to stay is the elegant old HA?tel du Palais , overlooking the delightful shady place Louvel in the heart of the old town (tel 05.45.92.54.11, fax 05.45.92.01.83; 220-300F/a?¬34-46; garage 35F/a?¬5.34). Another place worth trying, especially for its excellent regional cuisine, is the HA?tel La Palma , 4 rampe d'Aguesseau, on the road leading up into the old town from the station (tel 05.45.95.22.89, fax 05.45.94.26.66; under 160F/a?¬24; restaurant from 65F/a?¬9.91). Alternatively, there's a wonderfully positioned HI hostel (tel 05.45.92.45.80, fax 05.45.95.90.71), with canteen, on an island in the Charente; take bus #7 from place du Champ-de-Mars. The municipal campsite (tel 05.45.92.83.22) is nearby, beyond the Pont de Bourgines.
Likely
restaurant
areas are rue de GenA?ve, with a number of options including traditional French and international, and the narrow, pedestrianized rue Massilon. One of the best restaurants in the region, with a number of interesting and inventive menus, starting at 170F/a?¬25.91, is
La Ruelle
, 6 rue Trois-Notre-Dames (tel 05.45.95.15.19; closed Sat lunch, Sun, April 8-14 & Aug 5-18).
Le Mektoub
, 28 rue des Trois-Notre-Dames (tel 05.45.92.60.96), is good for inexpensive North African cuisine, and just near the excellent daily covered market of Les Halles,
Le Chat Noir
, on rue du Chat, is crowded with lunchers after its cheap salads and snacks.
La Marine
on rue Ludovic-Trarieux a modern and airy oyster/wine bar, while
Chez Paul
, 1 place France Louval (tel 05.45.90.04.61), is a friendly and very reasonable restaurant (and bar with live music) with a beautiful garden; the food is fantastic, with menus starting at 59F/a?¬8.99, and it is well worth a visit. Other useful information
for tourists (each section contains more specific sub-sections): |
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France,
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