The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. 2001-07.
Charente, river, France
river, 220 mi (354 km) long, rising near Limoges, W France, and flowing W to the Bay of Biscay. The river flows past Angoulême (the head of navigation), Cognac, Saintes, and Rochefort, and through an important cattle-raising region. Along its western course are the celebrated vineyards from which cognac brandy is made. The Charente carries little commercial traffic.
