The handsome region of Cognac is close to Bordeaux in south-west France, boasting a rich gastronomic and cultural heritage – and it knows how to craft an experience you won’t forget. From intimate cellar tours to entertaining vineyard safaris, there are many creative ways to explore the Charentes region with its towns, countryside and islands. All the experiences mean meeting and sharing, learning local knowledge from passionate artisans and tasting the produce that makes this terroir unique.
It’s just a 2h30 train ride here from Paris, with easy rail connections between La Rochelle, Angoulême, Saintes and Cognac itself – so exploring the region is sustainable and effortless. From October to March, the roads are quieter and the experiences feel more personal. Cognac houses and winemakers come together to launch a pivotal part of the winemaker’s diary: distillation, a process unchanged since the 17th century. After grapes are harvested, pressed and their juice fermented, the resulting white wine is double distilled in copper stills as part of the precise cognac production method. In winter, cognac houses focus on this day and night and welcome the public to see the art of distillation in action.
To kickstart the official start to the season, the Ban de la Distillation returns from 23-25 October 2026 across Cognac. ‘Ban’ is the term coined to declare the official start of the process, when local producers, winemakers and visitors come together for two days of workshops, concerts and activities. To explore Cognac in this key period with golden vines and the summer crowds departed, take your pick from these varied experiences – eight new for 2026.
ACTIVE
Treasure hunting, L’Yeuse Jardin Respectueux (NEW FOR 2026)
Part nature reserve, part open-air gallery, the Jardin Respectueux hides riddles among eco-designed structures and vine-inspired artworks. A self-guided trail for families and friends, it ends the way any good treasure hunt should: with local food, either a quick bite at the Ybar or a full Sunday brunch. Keep an eye out for structures that double as sculpture and habitat, a reminder that the garden’s biodiversity is as much the point as the puzzle.
yeuse.fr | 65 rue de Bellevue, 16100 Châteaubernard | Apr–Oct, 9am–6pm | €8–45
Walking with donkeys, Domaine Montansier (NEW FOR 2026)
Be quick if you want to meet Jazz and Fifi, the estate’s Poitou donkeys, who set an unhurried pace through fields of rare Charentais grape varieties (Chauché, Folle Blanche and Ugni Blanc), IGP wines and truffle oaks, guided by François and his team. Available until the end of September, the experience closes with a ‘casse-croûte’ snack alongside the estate’s own wines, Pineau and cognacs.
domainemontansier.fr | 13 rue de la Fontaine, 16120 Graves-Saint-Amant | May–Sep, Wed at 10.45am | €25
Vines by smartphone, Vignoble H. Begey (NEW FOR 2026)
A sixth-generation family of growers lets you set your own pace here: a self-guided trail through vineyard and village, narrated by your phone with exclusive video on local heritage and the vines’ yearly cycle. It ends back at the boutique with a relaxed tasting of three estate signatures. It’s a quietly independent way to get to know Cognac’s countryside, away from set tour times and fixed itineraries.
begey.com | 37 rue de la Mairie, 17770 Villars-les-Bois | Year-round, Mon–Fri & selected Sat | €15.50
CRAFTY
Glassblowing, Fondation d’Entreprise Martell (NEW FOR 2026)
For adults only: step beside blazing furnaces and shape your own glass, guided step by step by expert artists – anything from a solid sculpture to a blown tumbler. A rare chance to see craftsmanship and heat meet head-on in the heart of Cognac. Whatever you make is yours to take home; a souvenir shaped by your own hands rather than bought off a shelf.
fondationentreprisemartell.com | 16 avenue Paul Firino Martell, 16100 Cognac | Monthly workshops (Wed/Sat) | €115–320
Wood, fire & craft, Tonnellerie Navarre (NEW FOR 2026)
Founded in 2001 by Willy Navarre, this family cooperage opens workshops rarely seen by outsiders. Watch staves bent and fire-shaped into barrels, learn how spent casks are reconditioned for clients abroad, then finish with a nosing session on how oak quietly shapes a spirit’s character. The smell of scorched oak lingers long after you leave; a small souvenir of craftsmanship most visitors never get to witness firsthand.
tonnellerie-navarre.fr | 9 impasse de la Brousse, 16370 Val-de-Cognac | Year-round, Mon-Fri, by reservation | €15
The Master Blender’s Challenge, Maison CAMUS
Independent since 1863, CAMUS opens its Cognac estate and its Cru des Borderies vineyards, its distilling secrets and its ageing cellars… then hands you the blending glass. Taste four XO cognacs (Fins Bois, Borderies, Petite Champagne, Grande Champagne) and combine them into a blend that’s entirely your own. By the end, you’ll walk away with a genuine feel for what makes each cru distinct – and a cognac that’s uniquely yours.
explore-cognac.com | 29 rue Marguerite de Navarre, 16100 Cognac | Year-round, by reservation | €190 (bottle of XO included)
FOODIE
Afternoon tea, La Nauve Hôtel & Jardin (NEW FOR 2026)
In a garden hotel where 4.5 hectares of grounds unfurl around you, the bar team shakes up a cognac long drink built specifically for afternoon tea, paired with a bitesized creation from Chef Souchaud. Linger over both, then wander the grounds before the light fades. It’s the kind of afternoon that rewards unhurried appetites – expect to leave with a favourite flavour pairing and no fixed plans for the rest of the day.
lanauve.com | 12 rue de la Nauve, 16100 Cognac | Feb–Dec, Wed–Sat, 3–5pm | €25
Cognac and chocolate, Normandin Mercier
At the end of a chestnut avenue near La Rochelle, this 1872 house pairs its cognacs with organic, seasonally changing chocolates from La Cabosse Enchantée. Try VSOP with sea-salt ‘Île aux Trésors’ chocolate from Île de Ré, or XO alongside candied orange peel – each cocoa origin drawing something different from the glass. It’s a small masterclass in how texture and terroir can turn a simple pairing into something memorable.
explore-cognac.com | Château de La Péraudière, 17139 Dompierre-sur-Mer | Mon–Fri by reservation, 10am & 2.30pm; groups at weekends (min. 10) | €40
Breakfast at the still, Chai du Rouissoir
Since 1973, Guy and his son Didier have distilled their own cognac here, and small groups can now watch the still run over a proper stillman’s breakfast of cheese, cold meats, jams and local biscuits, with tea, coffee and wine. Guests help launch the ‘Bonne Chauffe’, the crucial turning point of distillation, before touring the ageing cellars for a tasting. Few experiences let you watch, smell and taste the process so intimately, all before most people have finished their first coffee.
explore-cognac.com | 1 Roussillon, 17500 Ozillac | Nov–Mar, by reservation | Adults €22, children €10
HISTORIC
Legends and lineage, Maison Raynaud (NEW FOR 2026)
Five generations deep in Grande Champagne, this estate pairs modern winegrowing with a distillery where old and new stills stand shoulder to shoulder. The family’s chapel carries an 11th-century tale of Templars said to have first unlocked cognac’s ageing secrets, heard best just before a tasting of VSOP, XO and XXO with artisan chocolates. This is a rare chance to taste cognac from the very ground where, legend has it, its ageing potential was first discovered.
maisonraynaud.com | 61 route d’Angles, 16130 Salles-d’Angles | Year-round (Oct-Mar ideal) | €15
150 years of fire, Distillerie Fontagard (NEW FOR 2026)
Distilling since 1878, this fifth-generation estate in Neuillac (near Jonzac) still practises open-fire, double-distillation by hand, now alongside geothermal energy and careful resource management. The visitor tour spans the whole production cycle from vine to cellar, ending with a tasting of three cognacs. It’s a compelling look at how a centuries-old craft can adapt without losing its soul.
fontagard.com | 35 route du Nobla, 17520 Neuillac | Year-round, Tue–Sat | €15 (€10 groups)
Roman towers and copper stills, Brillouet Distillery
A 1st-century Gallo-Roman tower presides over one of the area’s oldest family distilleries. An eco-museum and still exhibition trace distillation from antiquity to today, alongside a working distillery producing cognac, Pineau, sparkling and still wines, and liqueurs. History here isn’t just remembered, it’s lived: the distillery keeps working through the winter months and foodie tours and exhibitions are organised throughout the year.
royanatlantique.fr | 9 chemin de Chez Pureau, 17600 Saint-Romain-de-Benet | Year-round, Mon–Fri 7am–7pm, Sat 11am–7pm, Sun 8am–7pm
FURTHER READING
Explore Cognac 2026 press kit
Visit Explore Cognac’s website
PRESS TRIP REQUESTS
Sarah Lherbier
s.lherbier@charentestourisme.com
franceuncovered.com 