France: the Marais Poitevin marches by kayak.
The Marais Poitevin is a region of marshes the French call their Green Venice: idyllic, lush and relaxed. It is a labyrinth of small canals, flanked by truncated ashes. Everywhere you can hire kayaks or canoes to explore this waterworld, where villages have canals as roads. There is even an old town: Niort. Flowing through it all is a river: the Sèvre Niortaise. Towards the coast it becomes a tidal river that sucks you towards the Atlantic.
Kayaker in a small canal in Irleau.
[FRANCE. ATLANTIC 30019] Most of the villages in the Marais Poitevin were once dependent on transport by water. This small canal (named “Bief d’Irleau) serviced the village of Irleau. The houses are on the left hand bank and gardens on the other bank can be reached via footbridges. This lush environment, which is justly described as “Venise Vert” (Green Venice), is a paradise for kayakers. Photo Paul Smit.
[FRANCE. ATLANTIC 30041] In some parts of the Marais Poitevin a kayaker can imagine himself to be paddling through an ancient rainforest, as here on the Conche de la Béquéterie west of Damvix. Especially in the western part of of the “marais mouillé” (wet swamp), where the truncated ashes on the banks are older and bigger and covered in moss, the trees sometimes resemble swamp monsters hunched on their elbows to drink from the water. Photo Mick Palarczyk.
[FRANCE. ATLANTIC 29997] In Niort the Sèvre Niortaise flows quietly along the Quai de la Regratterie. The neo-gothic towers of the Église Saint-André dominate this part of the town. In the old centre of Niort the Sèvre splits into several canals which can be investigated by kayak. Photo Mick Palarczyk and Paul Smit.
[FRANCE. ATLANTIC 29999] Seen from the Quai de la Regratterie, the massive walls of the Donjon of Niort are reflected in the tranquil waters of the Sèvre Niortaise. The donjon consists of two square towers that were built in the 12th century under Henry II Plantagenet and Richard the Lionheart, linked by a 15th century building. In the old centre of Niort the Sèvre splits into several canals which can be investigated by kayak. Photo Mick Palarczyk and Paul Smit.
[FRANCE. ATLANTIC 30001] Standing on the Vieux Ponts (Old Bridges) you have a nice view of the old centre of Niort, with the neo-gothic towers of the Église Saint-André rising above the tranquil waters of the Sèvre Niortaise. Photo Mick Palarczyk and Paul Smit.
[FRANCE. ATLANTIC 30002] Standing on the Vieux Ponts (Old Bridges) you have a nice view of the old centre of Niort, with the neo-gothic towers of the Église Saint-André rising above the tranquil waters of the Sèvre Niortaise. In the town the Sèvre splits into several canals which can be investigated by kayak. Photo Mick Palarczyk and Paul Smit.
River Sèvre in the old centre of Niort.
[FRANCE. ATLANTIC 30005] In the old centre of Niort the River Sèvre splits into several canals. Photo Mick Palarczyk and Paul Smit.
River Sèvre in the old centre of Niort.
[FRANCE. ATLANTIC 30007] In the old centre of Niort the River Sèvre splits into several canals which can be investigated by kayak. Photo Mick Palarczyk and Paul Smit.
River Sèvre in the old centre of Niort.
[FRANCE. ATLANTIC 30009] In the old centre of Niort the River Sèvre splits into several canals which can be investigated by kayak. Photo Mick Palarczyk and Paul Smit.
River Sèvre in the old centre of Niort.
[FRANCE. ATLANTIC 30011] Standing on a hill in the old centre of Niort, the neo-gothic towers of the Église Saint-André rise above the tranquil waters of the River Sèvre. In the town the Sèvre splits into several canals which can be investigated by kayak. Photo Mick Palarczyk and Paul Smit.
Marais Poitevin: kayakers paradise.
[FRANCE. ATLANTIC 30013] The banks of many small canals in the Marais Poitevin are planted with truncated ashes, as here between Coulon and La Garette. The ashes have deep roots and thus stabilize the banks. The canals in this part of the swampy Marais Poitevin have been dug in the 19th century. Nowadays they are a paradise for kayakers. Photo Mick Palarczyk.
[FRANCE. ATLANTIC 30016] Most of the villages in the Marais Poitevin were once dependent on transport by water. This small canal serviced the village of La Garette. The houses are on the right hand bank and gardens on the other bank can be reached via footbridges. This lush environment, which is justly described as “Venise Vert” (Green Venice), is a paradise for kayakers. Photo Mick Palarczyk.
Kayaker in a small canal in Irleau.
[FRANCE. ATLANTIC 30018] Most of the villages in the Marais Poitevin were once dependent on transport by water. This small canal (named “Bief d’Irleau) serviced the village of Irleau. The houses are on the left hand bank and gardens on the other bank can be reached via footbridges. This lush environment, which is justly described as “Venise Vert” (Green Venice), is a paradise for kayakers. Photo Paul Smit.
Marais Poitevin: kayakers paradise.
[FRANCE. ATLANTIC 30014] The banks of many small canals in the Marais Poitevin are planted with truncated ashes, as here between Coulon and La Garette. The ashes have deep roots and thus stabilize the banks. The canals in this part of the swampy Marais Poitevin have been dug in the 19th century. Nowadays they are a paradise for kayakers. Photo Mick Palarczyk.
[FRANCE. ATLANTIC 29996] In Niort the Sèvre Niortaise flows quietly along the Quai de la Regratterie. The neo-gothic towers of the Église Saint-André dominate this part of the town. In the old centre of Niort the Sèvre splits into several canals which can be investigated by kayak. Photo Mick Palarczyk and Paul Smit.
[FRANCE. ATLANTIC 29998] Seen from the Quai de la Regratterie, the massive walls of the Donjon of Niort are reflected in the tranquil waters of the Sèvre Niortaise. The donjon consists of two square towers that were built in the 12th century under Henry II Plantagenet and Richard the Lionheart, linked by a 15th century building. In the old centre of Niort the Sèvre splits into several canals which can be investigated by kayak. Photo Mick Palarczyk and Paul Smit.
[FRANCE. ATLANTIC 30000] Seen from the Quai de la Regratterie, the massive walls of the Donjon of Niort are reflected in the tranquil waters of the Sèvre Niortaise. The donjon consists of two square towers that were built in the 12th century under Henry II Plantagenet and Richard the Lionheart, linked by a 15th century building. In the old centre of Niort the Sèvre splits into several canals which can be investigated by kayak. Photo Mick Palarczyk and Paul Smit.
[FRANCE. ATLANTIC 30003] Standing on the Vieux Ponts (Old Bridges) you have a nice view of the old centre of Niort, with the neo-gothic towers of the Église Saint-André rising above the tranquil waters of the Sèvre Niortaise. In the town the Sèvre splits into several canals which can be investigated by kayak. Photo Mick Palarczyk and Paul Smit.
[FRANCE. ATLANTIC 30004] In the old centre of Niort the River Sèvre splits into several canals which can be investigated by kayak. Photo Mick Palarczyk and Paul Smit.
River Sèvre in the old centre of Niort.
[FRANCE. ATLANTIC 30006] In the old centre of Niort the River Sèvre splits into several canals. Photo Mick Palarczyk and Paul Smit.
River Sèvre in the old centre of Niort.
[FRANCE. ATLANTIC 30008] In the old centre of Niort the River Sèvre splits into several canals which can be investigated by kayak. Photo Mick Palarczyk and Paul Smit.
River Sèvre in the old centre of Niort.
[FRANCE. ATLANTIC 30010] In the old centre of Niort the River Sèvre splits into several canals which can be investigated by kayak. Photo Mick Palarczyk and Paul Smit.
[FRANCE. ATLANTIC 30012] Paddling on the Sèvre Niortaise, kayakers encounter the lock of La Roussille a few kilometers downstream of Niort and a portage is necessary. Photo Paul Smit.
[FRANCE. ATLANTIC 30015] The banks of many small canals in the Marais Poitevin are planted with truncated ashes, as here between Coulon and La Garette. The ashes have deep roots and thus stabilize the banks. The canals in this part of the swampy Marais Poitevin have been dug in the 19th century. Nowadays they are a paradise for kayakers. Photo Mick Palarczyk.
[FRANCE. ATLANTIC 30017] Most of the villages in the Marais Poitevin were once dependent on transport by water. This small canal serviced the village of La Garette. The houses are on the left hand bank and gardens on the other bank can be reached via footbridges. This lush environment, which is justly described as “Venise Vert” (Green Venice), is a paradise for kayakers. Photo Mick Palarczyk.
