La Tranche sur Mer is located at the gateway to a unique natural area: the Marais Poitevin Regional Nature Park. This wetland covers an area of 112,000 hectares spread over three departments, including the southern part of the Vendée. It is the second largest wetland in France, home to remarkable biodiversity with numerous species of birds, fish and aquatic plants. The Marais Poitevin is recognisable by its typical landscapes of pastures and crops, criss-crossed by 8,200 kilometres of canals built by man over the centuries.
From the influence of the ocean in the west to the green marshes in the east, this vast territory reveals a wealth of landscapes that will delight nature lovers.
At its western end, the Marais Poitevin reveals its maritime aspects. This is the typical landscape found in La Tranche sur Mer. Endless stretches of fine sandy beaches offer the ideal place to relax on your towel and contemplate the vast blue ocean. Behind them, dunes and forests complete the wild character of our coastal areas.
The coastline is also a transitional space between land and sea. The Belle Henriette lagoon is a prime example of this, with its salt marshes that are exposed or covered by the ocean depending on the tides.
As you move away from the ocean, the Marais Poitevin reveals its landscapes of ‘dried-up marshes’. Here, vast wet meadows, pastures and cultivated plots are criss-crossed by hundreds of kilometres of canals. These large areas have been reclaimed from the sea over the centuries thanks to the construction of numerous hydraulic structures by man. Here and there, villages have been built on former limestone islets overlooking the marshes.
A little further inland, the dry marshes give way to the most iconic part of the Marais Poitevin: the wet marshes. Also known as the ‘Green Venice’, this area is shaped by a labyrinth of canals with lush vegetation. Everywhere, poplars and pollarded ash trees form a canopy of vegetation above the waterways, some of which are covered with a green carpet of duckweed. This is the must-see part of the Marais Poitevin, which has made this unique wetland famous and can be enjoyed on a boat trip, on foot or by bike.
A boat trip is the quintessential way to discover the Marais Poitevin. Imagine gliding along the waterways of this labyrinth of canals through lush green countryside that exudes peace and tranquillity. Choose to stay close to home with an independent trip through the dry marshes at Longeville-sur-Mer or Saint-Benoît-sur-Mer. Or head to the heart of the Marais Poitevin and enjoy a trip accompanied by a boatman who will recount the curious history of this vast natural area.
