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Vienne 

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Self catering Vienne holiday rental villas & gites, France 

Search the Rent-in-France holiday homes for self catering rental villas & gites in Vienne, France. Vienne is named after the river Vienne which runs straight through the centre. Located in western France and part of the Poitou Charentes region, Vienne is an ancient part of France that mixes the past and the future suprisingly well. The department has become known as a unique holiday destination where you can see the historic sites and monuments sit side by side with Futuroscope, the high-tech theme park. Situated in the capital of the department, Futuroscope offers its visitor of all ages a range of educational but thrilling and intriguing rides that provide a great day out for the whole family when staying in a Vienne holiday home.

Take a self catering French villa in Vienne and explore the wonderful countryside that the department has to offer - there are a large number of historical monuments pointing to the noble and military legacy of the department along with numerous beautiful Romanesque churches and chateaux that can be admired during your stay. The river Vienne is a huge tourist attraction within the department, especially during  the summer months. Fishing is very popular in the Montmorillon area and there are various stretches of the river that offer kayaking and other watersports. The river banks and the surrounding countryside are the perfect setting for both horse-riding and walking during your Vienne holiday rental.

 

Places to visit in Vienne, France. 

Poiters. Situated on the Clain river in west central France, Poiters is the capital of Vienne. Greatly associated with a number of historical events from the late medieval times, the streets of Poiters are interesting and loaded with the remains of some fantastic historical architecture. Although the city has been known for a number of years for its beautiful Romanesque churches, the opening of the modern theme park Futuroscope has made the city very popular with European tourists, in particular those from the UK.

FUTUROSCOPE. The state of the art French theme park, Parc du Futuroscope is a theme park based on multimedia, audio and visual techniques and cinematographic futuroscope. There are a several 3D cinemas along with a number of rides, shows and attractions to keep you entertained during your visit, many of which are exclusive and can’t be seen anywhere else in the world. The Park has a wide range of shops allowing you to buy souvenirs together with 8 full service restaurants and many fast food outlets.  

Chauvigny. Chauvigny is one of the prettiest towns in Vienne. This old medieval town is situated on the rocks above the River Vienne and is about 25 mins away from the town of Trimouille. Chauvigny is home to a lively Saturday morning market and the velo rail enables vistors to explore the wonderful countryside and surrounding areas. There are a number of attractions that are a must see during your stay in Vienne, including Les Geants du Ciel-a fantastic bird demonstration, Le Donjon de Gouzon - a museum that looks at archaeology and popular traditions and the Fruit Bat caves. 

La Trimouille. Located along the banks of the River Benaize, La Trimouille is a hot spot for tourists looking to enjoy a spot of fishing when taking a holiday gite in Vienne.The town is ideal for cycling and walking and there are a number of signposted cycle routes and walks which will take you on a journey where you can enjoy the wonderful traquil countryside the town has to offer. You will find a few bars and restaurants in the town and The Café des sports is a great spot in the centre where you can enjoy a beer, sport on the big screen and a game of pool or two.

Montmorillon. Known as the city of writing, this beautiful town rises up from the River Gartempe. Montmorillon is a busy town with a wonderful old quarter, where you will find a number of shops demonstrating the ancient skills of writing. Montmorillon is home to some beautiful chapels and churches including La Chapelle Saint Nicolas where many people go as a place of pilgrimage for those seeking health and vitality. Throughout the town you will find a range of good restaurants; these include a fantastic tea room situated by the old bridge which offers you some breathtaking views across the town.

Due to its location south of the Loire Valley, the department enjoys warm and particularly dry summer Months. July and August see the average temperature reach around 21°C. Vienne sees an average amount of rain during the autumn and the winter months and the temperature can drop by quite a bit. Although the temperature drops in the winter months it is still relatively mild and the temperature rarely drops below 8°C. 

Getting to Vienne, France is easy - both Poiters (PIS) and Limoges (LIG) service the department and receive daily cheap flights from the UK. Ryan air offer  budget flights from a number of UK airports. Alternatively there is a TGV Train service that runs direct to Poitiers from Paris.