Benest is in the North Charente, bordering the departments of the Vienne & Haute Vienne which have lots to offer the tourist. The area is rich in history. The village of Oradour-Sur-Glane is within easy reach, and there are many Romansque churches worth visiting. Poitiers, Angouleme and Limoges are each about an hour away; Cognac, with guided tours around the Cognac-houses, is about one and a half hours drive. Confolens, a beautiful medieval town on the Vienne, hosts a folk-music festival in August, with participants from all over the world.
There is an 'information point' in the hall, with maps and leaflets describing places to visit in the region together with details of the local Chaplaincy.