What is Saintonge?
'''Saintonge''' ({{IPA-fr|sɛ̃tɔ̃ʒ}}) is a small region and historical province on the [[Atlantic Ocean|Atlantic]] coast of [[France]]. It is within the ''[[département]]'' [[Charente-Maritime]], west and south of [[Charente]] in the administrative region of [[Nouvelle-Aquitaine]]. Saintonge gets its name from the ancient [[Gaul|Gallic]] tribe of the ''[[Santones]]'' who lived in this area. The capital is the city of [[Saintes, Charente-Maritime|Saintes]].<ref name=Morley72>Henry Morley, ''Palissy the Potter: The Life of Bernard Palissy of Saintes'' (London: Cassell, Petter & Galpin, {{circa|1878}}), p. 72</ref> The Saintonge was the center of the French [[Huguenot]]s. Today, the region is famous for its production of the [[grapes]] that are used to produce [[cognac]] and Pineau des Charentes. Corn and fruit are also produced here.<ref name=Morley72/> Salt was produced here which was considered at the time the best in France.<ref name=Morley72/> It was the birthplace of the explorer [[Jean Allefonsce]]<ref>John Fiske, ''New France and New England'' (Bowie, Maryland : Heritage, 1997), p. 24</ref> and [[Samuel de Champlain]] who founded [[Quebec]].<ref>John Fiske, ''New France and New England'' (Bowie, Maryland : Heritage, 1997), p. 38</ref> Saintongeais is spoken in the former provinces of Saintonge, [[Aunis]], and [[Angoumois]] == References == {{reflist}} [[Category:Charente-Maritime]] {{france-geo-stub}}