Marais Poitevin

8,200 hectares of waterways and wet meadows shape the Marais Poitevin, engineered from the 13th century by the abbeys of Maillezais and Nieul-sur-l’Autise. It’s a 1h15 drive from Poitiers via the N11 to Coulon’s slipways, with Arçais, Magné, and the Venise Verte reserve close by. You’ll notice pollarded ash trees mirrored in still water, ospreys stopping over in migration season, and the green wake left by algae as boats glide through. Villages sit on former dikes, some still showing 19th‑century salt barns and waiting quays.

Your dedicated driver collects you at your Poitiers hotel with a Mercedes at your disposal and sets an easy rhythm: pre‑booked boat, photo stops, then lunch in Coulon—farci poitevin and grilled eel—while parking and logistics are handled. In the Marais Poitevin, our private chauffeur knows the quiet biefs and less‑trodden towpaths, tweaks the route if the Sèvre Niortaise runs high, and can slot in the Maillezais Abbey (20 km) or a detour to Damvix for a waterside botanical garden.