CHARENTE-LIMOUSINE RAILWAY VELORAIL

How can you stretch your calves, discover superb landscapes and enjoy a unique viewpoint while spending time with family and friends? Bicycle railways, of course! In the north of the département, three routes are available on railroad lines restored by an association of enthusiasts. You can choose between the 18-kilometer round trip from Confolens to Manot, which takes around 2 hours 15 minutes, or the 15-kilometer route from Roumazières-Loubert to Manot, which takes around 2 hours. There's also the long walk, from Roumazières to Confolens: 34 kilometers round trip. Three departures are scheduled each day at 10 a.m., 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. The first option is a Confolens-Manot journey of just under 20 kilometers round trip, passing over the vertiginous Pontarand viaduct, a hundred meters long over the La Faye river, before a 12% gradient climb that will be a beautiful descent... on the way back. A magnificent sight. The second option, slightly shorter but just as exotic, takes you from Roumazières-Loubert, the tile capital of France, to Manot. You'll cross the Charente from the top of the Laplaud viaduct, with its six arches and one hundred and sixty meters of length. Once again, it's a sight to behold. You can also choose to take the full route, but if you do, a word of advice: make sure you're in good shape and have strong calves.