Plan your visit
Parc naturel régional du Marais poitevin is one of France’s great natural sites — bring good shoes and a camera. Locate it on the map, book a room nearby in a click, or add it to your travel list to build your itinerary.
About Parc naturel régional du Marais poitevin
Nicknamed the "Green Venice", the Parc naturel régional du Marais poitevin protects the second-largest wetland in France, a serene labyrinth of canals, ditches and poplar-lined waterways spread across the old gulf between Niort and the Atlantic. In its heart, the wet marsh is best explored by traditional flat-bottomed boat, gliding beneath a canopy of ash and willow through water so still and green it mirrors the trees. Beyond lie the open "dry marsh" of grazing meadows and the coastal bay, one of the great bird sanctuaries of the Atlantic coast. Cyclists, walkers and boaters share its peaceful maze, and its villages, churches and eel-fishers keep an age-old marsh culture alive. Tranquil and enchanting, the Marais poitevin is a watery world all its own.