Marais Poitevin — Green Venice Wetlands

The Marais Poitevin is a vast system of marshes, canals, and flooded meadows at the southern boundary of Pays de la Loire, covering parts of the Vendée, Deux-Sèvres, and Charente-Maritime departments. The mouillère, or wet marsh section — popularly known as the Venise Verte, or Green Venice — is centred on the village of Coulon in Deux-Sèvres and comprises a dense network of tree-canopied waterways navigated primarily by flat-bottomed boats called plates. The overhanging ash, alder, and willow trees create a tunnel effect on the narrower canals, their leaf canopy reflecting in still, dark green water and producing the luminous photographic quality that gives the region its nickname. Boat hire from companies based at Coulon port allows visitors to navigate self-guided or with a local guide through the marsh, passing flooded meadows grazed by white Parthenaise cattle, ancient stone bridges, and isolated farm holdings accessible only by water. The marsh is also navigable by bicycle on a network of rural lanes and levée paths; the village of Arçais to the north is another popular hire point for both boats and cycles. Kingfishers, grey herons, coypus, and marsh harriers are regularly observed. The prime wildlife season is April to June, when migratory birds are present and aquatic vegetation is at its most lush. The ruined Benedictine abbey of Maillezais, set on a limestone ridge above the marsh, adds a historical dimension accessible by both boat and road from Coulon.