Charente ( Saintongeais : ChÃ rente , Occitan : T ` Charanto ) is a department in the west of France . It was named after the Charente river . Charente ( Saintongeais : ChÃ rente , Occitan : Charanta ) is a department in southwestern France named after the Charente River , the most important river in the department , and also the river beside which the department 's two largest towns , AngoulÃ me and Cognac , are sited .