La Rochelle - Royan

Series details

£5.95

One of the titles in IGN’s series Top100 - the best maps for exploring the French countryside by car, on a bike, or even on foot, used by millions of tourists and locals alike. The maps show more minor roads than other series and have a topographic base with contours enhanced by relief shading. Graphic relief is added in high mountainous areas, to give an even better presentation of the terrain. Different types of vegetation and land cultivation are indicated. Road network is presented in great detail, as expected of large scale mapping. All administrative boundaries are shown.

The maps show plenty of tourist information, such as places of interest, sport and recreational facilities, etc. For walkers, the maps have an overprint highlighting the long-distance footpaths, the GRs, making them an ideal supplement to the topo-guides. Each map covers an area of approximately 110 x 88 km / 62 x 55 miles. Latitude and longitude are shown in grads based on the Paris meridian. Map legend includes English.

This title covers the Atlantic coast from just south of Les Sables-d'Olonne to the mouth of the Gironde. The extensive Marais Poitevin, the Poitou Marshlands - a huge conservation area, stretch from the coast across the northern half of the map. Their eastern part, the wet marches also known as the "Green Venice", are particularly picturesque. The marshlands are famous for their flora and fauna, especially eels. The area's main port, the old fortified city of La Rochelle was once a much fought over Protestant stronghold, while Saintes and the Romanesque churches of the Saintonge provided rest for pilgrims along the western route of the Way of St. James to Compostella. Further south, just north of Royan, the Zoo de la Palmyre, across 33 acres of pine and oak forest, will attract younger visitors. For hikers the map provides an overview of sections of GR4 and GR360 around Royan and Saintes, and, north of the Poitou Marshlands, several shorter routes.