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Christelle
A beautiful getaway in the heart of Charente
With its spring-like weather, February makes you want to bask in the sun by turquoise waters. No need to go all the way to the Caribbean to find this landscape; I know exactly the place for you: the Touverac quarries!
Located a few kilometers south of Barbezieux, these quarries were used between 1950 and 1990 to extract kaolin, essential for porcelain manufacturing, before being left to their fate. Time took its course, and rainwater filled these cavities, which have now become magnificent ponds, with colors worthy of the most beautiful paradisiacal waters. Are you intrigued? Come on, we’ll take you with us for a Charentais escape, heading to the Touverac quarries!
“A protected natural site”
Saturday morning, all hands on deck! Beach towels are out, the picnic is in the cooler, and the cooler is in the car trunk! And we’re off, windows down and hair in the wind, through the green countryside of Saintonge and its charming towns and villages: Saintes, Pons, Jonzac, etc. Beside us, the Charente river keeps us company for a large part of our journey.
Once we arrived in Touverac, two routes are offered: the first allows you to go around the Charbonnière pond, visible from the parking lot. The second goes around the other three ponds. A note for nature lovers: this place is a protected natural site teeming with varied vegetation, where you might spot tree frogs or the Scarce Large Blue butterflies, these small butterflies of marshy meadows. Bring binoculars!
“Colors worthy of overseas islands”
After putting on our walking shoes, we take the interpretive trail around the three ponds. Crossing a damp undergrowth with its steep stairs and small bridge makes us feel like adventurers searching for a hidden treasure. And we don’t take long to discover this treasure: the undergrowth gives way to splendid white cliffs adorned with flowering gorse and heather. Below, we catch sight of the first pond, and it’s enough to leave you speechless; this lagoon blue color, paradisiacal and almost unreal… you’d truly think you were in the overseas islands!
But how can the water be such a color? A sign gives us the answer: the water is so acidic that no aquatic life develops there, so the light is entirely reflected. Incredible!
“A little piece of paradise”
After finding the perfect spot to lay out our beach towels, we take out the picnic and enjoy our meal, our eyes lost in the azure of the water. Admittedly, the ground is less comfortable than the fine sand of the Bahamas, but that doesn’t stop us from lying down for a nap. A little later, we resume the wooded path towards the other two bodies of water. Again, a superb palette of colors unfolds before our eyes, ranging from turquoise on one side to emerald green on the other. This place truly is a little piece of paradise.
And then, it’s time to head back; we put the cooler in the trunk, take off our walking shoes, and hit the road again. We leave Charente, smiling from ear to ear and with a slightly more tanned complexion than the day before. For a stop on the way back, I recommend you visit the charming town of Cognac, known for its grand houses and distilleries, and explore its English garden.
Are you convinced? Then do as we did, escape to the Touverac quarries for a day during your stay in Saintonge. Be aware, however, that only admiring the view is permitted, as swimming is prohibited (and fines are imposed) to preserve the site and for safety reasons. We’re counting on you!
