The Marais mouillé poitevin is a landscape shaped by people and offers a unique perspective on Deux-Sèvres. Signposted walking trails, long-distance cycling routes, museums and regional specialties add further highlights. This way, you can discover nature, history, outdoor activities and cuisine as different facets of the département.
Routes to suit your pace
Deux-Sèvres has 288 signposted circular walking routes covering a total of 4,713 kilometres. The département updates route signage periodically, so check the latest route details before making firm plans for a trip. In addition, the network includes 2,500 kilometres of specially signposted and maintained trails for cycling, walking and horse riding. The circular walking routes offer a specific guide for walking trips, while the second network also includes cycling and horse riding.
The 608-kilometre Vélo Francette is a long-distance cycling route that runs from Ouistreham to La Rochelle and crosses the Marais poitevin. Its route through Deux-Sèvres is more than 150 kilometres long, from Thouars to the Marais poitevin. The 31-kilometre Voie verte between Parthenay and Bressuire is considerably shorter. The lengths make it easy to compare the long route with the shorter one. Check the current route and local conditions before planning your trip.
Water landscapes in the Marais poitevin
The Marais poitevin is designated a Grand Site de France and a Ramsar wetland; the Grand Site designation may be renewed periodically. As a regional natural park, it encompasses 88 communes in Charente-Maritime, Deux-Sèvres and Vendée. Within Deux-Sèvres, the classified Marais mouillé poitevin area extends across eleven communes. The wet marshlands of the Marais poitevin cover 28,000 hectares and include canals, wooded areas and natural meadows. In the drained marshlands, straight canals and reed beds stand out; cycling and observing the plant life are among the ways to explore the landscape there. Coulon is a starting point for discovering the Marais poitevin.
Museums, prehistory and nature experiences
The Musée des Tumulus de Bougon explores human history from its origins through the Neolithic and is located less than 150 metres from the Véloroute 94. It offers family workshops where you can discover and try out prehistoric techniques; check the dates separately before your visit. The Maison du Marais Poitevin offers a different perspective on the marsh: the museum features the Maraiscope, boatbuilding, a traditional marsh house, the life of eels and fishing techniques. While the Bougon museum spans a broad sweep of time, the Maison focuses on themes related to life in the marsh. In Cherveux, a walking trail is dedicated to historic residences.
Zoodyssée offers a range of experiences: Graine d’Odyssée features a mini-farm, animal areas and sensory play spaces for young children. Odyssée des Forêts is an immersive, ten-hectare woodland area featuring European forest species. Animal presentations and facilities may change over time, so check what is currently available before visiting.
Cheese and regional specialties
Chabichou du Poitou AOP is a cheese made from whole raw goat’s milk. Its area of production, manufacture and maturation is mainly in Deux-Sèvres and Vienne. Mothais sur feuille is a flat, cylindrical cheese made from raw whole goat’s milk and matured on a chestnut leaf; the production requirements may be updated by the relevant authority. Its production area spans 237 communes in five départements, including Deux-Sèvres. Both cheeses are made from raw whole goat’s milk; Mothais is additionally matured on a chestnut leaf. Chabichou, Mothais sur feuille and goat’s cheeses in log and pyramid shapes are considered emblematic goat’s cheeses from Deux-Sèvres. Parthenaise beef is a meat specialty from the département.
Discover more destinations: Fénery, Sainte-Néomaye, Étusson, Crézières, La Chapelle-Pouilloux, Chef-Boutonne, Les Forges, Moncoutant, Pressigny, Arçais, Vire, Saint-Maixent-Lʼécole, Parthenay, Niort, La Guérinière, Chauray, Bressuire, Argentière, Bouin, Mauléon, Celles-Sur-Belle, Hanc, Argenton-L'eglise, Lezay, Sainte-Gemme, Champdeniers-Saint-Denis, Coulon, Brion-Près-Thouet, Souvigné, Vouillé, La Crèche, Villiers-En-Plaine, Granzay-Gript, Thouars, La Ferrière-En-Parthenay, Frontenay-Rohan-Rohan, La Mothe-Saint-Héray, Sainte-Soline, Melle, Clussais-La-Pommeraie, Chenay, Messé, Surin, Saint-Loup-Lamairé, Coulonges-Sur-L'autize, Cerizay, La Chapelle-Thireuil, Pierrefitte, Saint-Pardoux, Airvault, Saint-Hilaire-La-Palud, Le Beugnon, L'absie, Vasles, Boussais, Le Busseau, Pioussay, Sauzé-Vaussais, Maisonnay, Vallans, Saint-Vincent-La-Châtre, Ardilleux, La Chapelle-Gaudin, Neuvy-Bouin, Marigny, Saint-Coutant, La Boissière-En-Gâtine, Saint-Aubin-Du-Plain, Les Alleuds, Périgné, Nueil-Les-Aubiers, Villiers-En-Bois, Bessines, Usseau, Germond-Rouvre, Paizay-Le-Chapt, Combrand, Châtillon-Sur-Thouet, Pers, Sepvret, Faye-L'abbesse, Saint-Georges-De-Rex, Irais, Chizé, Ménigoute, Oiron, Scillé, Pouffonds, Clavé, Le Pin, Paizay-Le-Tort, La Chapelle-Saint-Laurent, Genneton, Fors, Secondigny, La Forêt-Sur-Sèvre, Pamproux, Moutiers-Sous-Chantemerle, Saivres, Massais, Échiré, Les Groseillers, Saint-Jouin-de-Marnes, Fontenille-Saint-Martin-d'Entraigues, Pas-de-Jeu, Caunay, Gourgé, La Peyratte, Pompaire, Saint-Maxire, Cherveux, Le Bourdet, Fressines, Bouillé-Loretz, Limalonges, Le Breuil-sous-Argenton, Augé, Saint-Aubin-le-Cloud, Saint-Pierre-des-Échaubrognes, Mazières-en-Gâtine, Beaulieu-sous-Parthenay, Cersay, Chiché, Saint-Martin-de-Sanzay, La Coudre, Xaintray, Exoudun, Coulonges-Thouarsais, Le Retail, Le Tallud, Saint-Maixent-de-Beugné, Azay-le-Brûlé, Saint-Martin-de-Saint-Maixent, Saint-Georges-de-Noisné, Saint-Germain-de-Longue-Chaume, Rom, Puihardy, Chantecorps
For the broader travel overview: Poitou Charentes.
