Le Marais Poitevin
Stretching between 3 departments of Deux-Sèvres, Vendée and Charente-Maritime, the Marais Poitevin uniquely combines its wilderness a multiplicity of landscapes that will delight lovers without hesitation Nature.
Ideal for hiking as much as river walks, the Marais Poitevin is a subtle combination of dried plains bordering coastline and wetlands inland. This unique blend creates a perfect harmony between the quiet and freshness of protected undergrowth and the scenery dry tracts that extend to the ocean.
Whether you choose to browse the waterways in typical boat or stroll on foot or by bike along the green banks and tree channels, let yourself be in the middle of this maze comprising not less than 4000kms of weather roads . With a fauna and a mid-aquatic flora half-plant, a maze of paths and rivers opens up before you, where willows and poplars of the banks visually contrast with duckweed nappant the surface of the channels.
To understand the subtleties that exist in this typical marsh landscape, guided walks are offered, decorated with colorful tales and legends, who will invite you as much relaxation as the exotic.
Beyond the natural and ecological character of the site, the Marais Poitevin allowed to see various treasures, sheltered by green flora and built over centuries. Indeed, conscious of the legacy they leave, Monks builders who have made the current infrastructure have chosen to bring an economic stake in the site, through the establishment of port areas. Dozens of small ports are distributed in the heart of traditional villages along the Marais, anchor of a commercial economy and today used as an embarkation point for guided and commented river walks.
These monks pioneers, under the Benedictine Order, have built other superstructures over the majestic shores, like the Abbey of Maillezan, and fantastic ruins that can be seen from the channels.