Confolens, situated at the confluence of the Vienne and Goire rivers, is an ancient medieval town, as evidenced by the Pont-Vieux and its half-timbered houses, and comes alive every summer with its dance and music festival.

In Manot, don’t miss the carved capitals on the portal of Saint-Martial Church.

Set in rolling countryside, the route leads to Chirac, home to listed religious heritage sites including a church and a chapel, and then on to Excideuil, where you can enjoy the landscaped banks of the Vienne, its 12th-century church built of pink granite, and its small market hall.

Cyclotranseurope offers a more direct route to Angoulême.