Where we are
We are situated near an area known as the Green Venice of France.
Coulonges-sur-l’Autize, in the Deux-Sèvres department of western France, is
situated on the edge of the lovely and unusual Marais Poitévin. This network of
canals and waterways are frequently referred to as the Green Venice of France.
An attractive market town, Coulonges-sur-l’Autize lies in a beautiful region and
is perfect for those holidaymakers and musicians who are hoping to find a rural
idyll in unspoiled countryside
If you need a break from an intensive session of Brahms, there is plenty to keep
you occupied. There are pretty, long, low, white Charentaise farmhouses with
brilliant blue painted shutters matching the colours of the summer skies. Think
glorious countryside with wheat, sunflowers and orchards – think Canteloube
meets Van Gogh! Think canals with barges lazily making their way through the
leafy greenery that overhangs the water; think majestic châteaux; think some of
France’s prettiest villages. Think Coulonges-sur-l’Autize.
Things are pretty peaceful here – Mendelssohn’s octet aside - but if you get out
of bed early on Tuesdays you will see another side of life in
Coulonges-sur-l’Autize… the hustle and bustle of the colourful market.
Coulonges-sur-l'Autize offers plenty of shops and also has a bank, a couple of
restaurants and a supermarket, so although it’s usually quiet, it has most of
the facilities you will require for a wonderful holiday playing chamber music.