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Talmont

Visit Talmont (Poitou-Charentes, France)

Note: this article describes Talmont-sur-Gironde in Gironde, not Talmont-Saint-Hilaire in the Vendee department.

Talmont is a village about 15 km south-east of Royan on a promontory on the northern side of the Gironde estuary in Poitou Charentes. The village is officially one of the  'most beautiful villages of France'.

Surprisingly perhaps given its position, Talmont was founded as an English bastide town in the 13th century and the layout of the streets now is more or less the same as it has been for the last 700 years.

Exploring Talmont

The streets are narrow and to be explored on foot - leave your car in the large car park just outside the village.

A small village, Talmont is best known for the lovely 11th century church of St Radegonde, built in the Roman style and surrounded by a small cemetery, that stands at the head of the promontory right on the edge of the cliffs. Apart from its location, the church also has some highlights to discover such as the ornately carved entrance, and some fascinating carvings of animal heads just below roof level. If possible try and see the church at sunset when its colours are most attractive.

The views along the coast from the cemetery are very impressive, with high white cliffs in both directions.

Be sure to also take a stroll through the narrow streets of the village to see the low attractive whitewashed houses, reminiscent perhaps of small villages in Greece. You can also take a stroll around the ramparts that once surrounded the town.

This exploring is especially pleasant from the end of spring to well into the summer, when self-seeded hollyhocks seem to push from every crack and space possible - both in the village and the cemetery - which is a very unusual sight for which Talmont is renowned, and which brings a lovely splash of colour to the town.

Local highlights

Much of the interest nearby follows the coastline, with lovely beaches and small villages and towns to explore.

Photos taken within 10 km

Tourist classifications for Talmont

Talmont is classified as a one of the most beautiful village in France (plus beau villages)

Address: Talmont-sur-Gironde, Cozes, Saintes, Charente-Maritime, Poitou-Charentes, 17120 || GPS: latitude 45.534, longitude -0.908

Map of Talmont & places nearby



 

Highlights close by

More suggestions: Soulac-sur-Mer 17km; Mornac-sur-Seudre 22km; Montalivet 23km; Lesparre-Medoc 25km; La Palmyre 28km; Pons 29km; Saintes 32km; La Tremblade 32km; Vertheuil 32km; Ronce-les-Bains 35km; Brouage 37km;

See lots more places to visit nearby and a more detailed map at places near Talmont.
See Poitou-Charentes and Charente-Maritime (the region and department for Talmont) for more travel ideas...

Suggested tourist attractions to visit near Talmont, France

• Royan - town of art and history (13km)
• Soulac-su-Mer basilique Notre-Dame-de-la-fin-des-Terres (monuments on French pilgrim routes) - heritage site (17km)
• Parcs et jardins du château de Beaulon - remarkable garden (20km)
• Mornac-sur-Seudre - most beautiful village (22km)
• Zoo de la Palmyre - zoo or wildlife park (26km)
• Pons ancien hopital des pèlerins (monuments on French pilgrim routes) - heritage site (28km)
• Saintes basilique St Eutrope (monuments on French pilgrim routes) - heritage site (31km)
• Saintes - town of art and history (32km)
• Abbaye aux Dames de Saintes (Saintes) - religious monument (32km)
• La Roche Courbon - remarkable garden (33km)

The French version of this page is at Talmont (Francais)