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The village also has its own lake with picnic tables, swings and slides. If you are out and about early in the morning or at dusk, you may well see one of our Ragondin who live on a tiny state-protected island to one edge of the water. There is one small bar restaurant in St Germier. Local amenities in Menigoute, a larger village just two miles along country lanes, include bakers, butchers, pharmacy, bank, post office and small supermarket, bar hotel and tabac bar.
There are a couple of safe, clean swimming lakes close to the village, both of which offer changing facilities and a choice of bars and restaurants at the water's edge. A splendid 27-hole golf course can be found at Chateau Des Forges only six miles from St Germier. It offers a good mixture of golf for both low and high handicappers at very reasonable rates. The nearest town is St Maxient L'Ecole which is a garrison town for the French armed forces. Here you will find a choice of supermarkets for all your shopping needs. There is also a large market on Saturdays and a wide variety of shopping, restaurants and bars.
The excellent larger towns of Niort and Poitiers are within a 30-minute drive from St Germier and are well worth a visit as they are both steeped in history. A little north of Poitiers, and just 25 miles from St Germier, is Futuroscope (see link below), one of the most popular attractions of France and an exciting full-day experience for adults and children alike. Further afield, the famous harbour town of La Rochelle, with its wonderful choice of seafood restaurants and popular aquarium, is within an hour's drive. For further information about the Poitou Charentes region, click here. A little over an hour from St Germier is Puy du Fou (see link below), a theme park like no other. The visitor is transported through time to the world of the gladiators, the Vikings and medieval knights. New for 2004 is a fascinating glimpse into the cheerful atmosphere of a market town at the turn of the 20th century, before the First World War tore Europe apart. Click on links below for more information: |
St
Germier is a hamlet surrounded by fields of mostly cereal crops. This makes
it an ideal area for gentle walking and cycling as there are many cross country
routes and quiet lanes with little traffic.
La
Bois Pourvous is only a five-minute drive away and on a hot day is a welcome
respite from the summer heat. It has a large fishing lake, picnic tables and a
play area and offers plenty of shade beneath the forest canopy.
Only
25 minutes drive takes you to Venise Verte, an area of marshland
crisscrossed by numerous small canals where you can hire a punt-type boat to
explore and check out the wildlife.