Visit Green Venice
Venise Verte in the Marais Poitevin
If you fancy a day out in nature, we recommend a boat trip to discover the Venise Verte in the Marais Poitevin. From our Ile de Ré campsite, it takes just over an hour by car to get there.
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In particular, you can discover the town of Coulon, considered to be the capital of the Venise Verte in Poitou-Charentes, where you can visit the Maison du Marais Poitevin to find out all you need to know on the subject.
Other destination ideas: Le Mazeau, capital of the Marais Mouillé or Damvix. So many different places to visit for a change of scenery!
The Parc Naturel Régional du Marais Poitevin covers 112,000 hectares and 3 départements: Vendée, Deux-Sèvres and Charente-Maritime, making it the second largest wetland in France after the Camargue.
Guided tour of Green Venice
Venise Verte, also known as “Marais Mouillé”, is at the heart of the Marais Poitevin. A real breath of fresh air and tranquillity, you can explore the Venise Verte by bike, but above all by boat or canoe.
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Traditional flat-bottomed boats make it easy to navigate the many canals and varied landscapes, while respecting the local flora and fauna. You can rent a boat and explore the Marais Poitevin on your own.
If you prefer the company of a guide, that’s of course possible. He’ll explain the history of the Marais, how it works and its flora and fauna. Here are just a few of the species that can be found on a walk through the heart of the Marais and its wetlands: aquatic plants (water lilies, duckweed), meadow plants, riverbank plants (reeds) and invasive plants, as well as poplars and ash trees.
The fauna includes many species of amphibians, insects, mammals, birds (herons), fish, reptiles (snakes) and invasive species (coypu and American crayfish). It’s also a beautiful bird sanctuary.
All in all, a great family outing along the canals of Green Venice.