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REGIONAL CAPITAL: Poitiers

DEPARTMENTS: Charente, Charente-Maritime, Deux-S猫vres, Vienne

MAIN CITIES: La Rochelle, Niort, Angoul锚me, Ch芒tellerault, Saintes, Rochefort, Royan

If good weather is what you are after, the Poitou-Charentes region is second only to Provence for sunshine. Holidaymakers converge on the coast around Ile-de-R茅 and the historic port of La Rochelle. The latter benefits from good transport links, with TGV connections to Paris in 2hr30 and flights to a number of UK cities.

Those wishing to escape the crowds should set their sights on the Charente department, although Cognac is a popular pilgrimage for fans of the liqueur. Its distilleries bring brandy-lovers from across the globe, but the town鈥檚 attractive riverside and historic centre make it much more than a one-trick pony.

The region鈥檚 capital, Poitiers, effortlessly juggles old with new. Its picturesque medieval centre belies a superb public transport network linking the major axes of the city and providing an alternative to car use.

There is a slower pace of life in the Deux-S猫vres, meanwhile, where the canals of the Marais-Poitevin can be explored at leisure on flat-bottomed 鈥�barques鈥� or by canoe.

House prices average 鈧�1,543/m虏 across the region but expect to pay a lot more in Charente-Maritime. Ars-en-R茅, on the Ile-de-R茅, sees an average of 鈧�4,196/m虏, for example, peaking at 鈧�5,993/m虏. Some 60% of properties here are second homes.

Deux-S猫vres is the cheapest department 鈥� property prices here average around 鈧�108,000. This compares to 鈧�177,800 in Charente-Maritime.

In Poitiers expect to pay an average of 鈧�1,260/m虏.