It took place July 9 &10, 2013
The ‘Marais Poitevin’
a remarkable place, is a marsh located in the Poitou area
At 970 square kilometres, the second largest marshland in France,
stretches from just west of Niort in the Deux-Sèvres through the south of the
Vendée and the north of the Charente-Maritime just above
La Rochelle
The Marais is made up of natural water channels, man-made canals as well as meadows, wooded places …
The most common tree is the poplar usually planted in rows and
their roots are an excellent holder for the soil of the banks
Some areas are still inaccessible by road, a paradise for the wildlife
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| The traditional boats used here are flat-bottomed |
The best way to travel the Marais Poitevin's network of canals, rivers and waterways is canoeing or boating
We
chose to have a guided boat tour (cf. video below)
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| Coulon, one of the region's most beautiful villages, is considered the capital of the Venise Verte (Green Venice) |
The House of the Marais Poitevin is located on
the banks of the river Sèvre Niortaise, in the heart of the village of Coulon
The museum reveals the secrets of the marshes
The “Maraiscope” big screen
movie, lights game, sound effects, explains the main stages of the construction
of this very particular territory
Our lodging located in the town of Niort, give us the opportunity to visit the Château de Niort, a medieval castle. It is normally called today as the Donjon de Niort
The two donjons are the only remaining part of the castle consisting of two square towers, linked by a 15th century building. It dominates the Sèvre Niortaise valley.
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| From the 18th century, the castle served as a prison |
